A first of its kind pilot program aims to better coordinate investigations of missing or murdered indigenous people

A new first-of-its-kind federal pilot program aims to help federal, state and tribal agencies better coordinate investigations of missing or murdered Native Americans or Alaska Natives, Emma Coleman reports for Route Fifty. 

The exact numbers of missing and murdered indigenous people—especially women—is unknown because of faulty data collection, but it's a widely acknowledged problem (and one explored in depth by an impressive news package from the University of Montana's School of Journalism). Some states, such as Wisconsin, Minnesota, and Washington, have already taken steps in recent years to address the issue.

"Led by the Justice Department, the Tribal Community Response Plan will require federal, state, and tribal law enforcement agencies to work in coordination to create 'culturally appropriate guidelines when investigating emergent cases,'" Coleman reports. "The guidelines will include instructions for law enforcement, victim services, community outreach, and public communications."

Oklahoma will be the first state to join the program, which is part of a broader Justice Department effort to tackle disproportionate violent crime rates among Native American women and children, according to U.S. Attorney Trent Shores with the northern district of Oklahoma. Shores, another U.S. Attorney in Oklahoma, and representatives from the Muscogee (Creek) and Cherokee nations announced Oklahoma's participation this week.

After the project rolls out in Oklahoma, it will expand to five other states: Alaska, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana and Oregon. "Last year, the Justice Department stepped up its efforts to coordinate with U.S. Attorney’s offices on the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Persons Initiative, allocating $1.5 million to hire coordinators in 11 states," Coleman reports. "Six of those states will be in the pilot. The other five are Arizona, Utah, Nevada, New Mexico, and Washington."