• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
  • Home
  • About
  • The Magazine
  • Events
  • Partners
  • Products
  • Advertise
  • Contact
  • Jobs and Careers
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Instagram
  • Subscribe
American Police Beat

American Police Beat Magazine

Law Enforcement Publication

  • Home
  • Editor’s Picks
    • Improve your pistol-handling skills
      What you need to know about automatic license plate readers
      Do cops need more training?
      Why every agency needs a polygraph examiner
      Seeking the right kind of help
  • Topics
    • On the Job
      • San Diego County Sheriff’s Department unveils new night-flying...
        Security guard and former police chief killed in New Hampshire...
        San Diego County Sheriff’s Department unveils new night-flying...
        Toddler fires mom’s gun inside Ohio Walmart store
        Heroic K-9 unit honored at National Dog Show for role in capturing...
    • Labor
      • LAPD union files lawsuit against city over delayed pay raises
        “You can’t play politics with public safety”
        “It’s going to be extremely painful for New Yorkers”
        California Highway Patrol officers set to receive significant salary...
        Seattle City Council approves new agreement with police union
    • Tech
      • NYPD explores cutting-edge drone detection vehicle to enhance city...
        The use of military assets by U.S. police
        What you need to know about automatic license plate readers
        Why every agency needs a polygraph examiner
        North Carolina schools, businesses to beef up active shooter security...
    • Training
      • Ballistic shields in patrol operations
        Four things you need to know to control escalation
        Series of fires in Los Angeles County Sheriff’s mobile shooting...
        Using learning factors to influence your performance
        Lancaster Police Department introduces agility course in recruitment...
    • Policy
      • L.A. City Council seeks to require police permits for short-term...
        “Hate has no place in Massachusetts”
        “No child should be unsafe in their own city”
        Federal court rules Pennsylvania township’s ban on thin blue line...
        Texas House passes controversial immigration bill
    • Health/Wellness
      • Harnessing our strength: Post-traumatic growth
        Scientifically proven ways for cops to thrive
        The depression–anger cycle
        What does it mean to be a sheepdog?
        Depression screening
    • Community
      • Off-duty first responders save friend’s life after he experiences...
        New Jersey departments unite for No Shave November
        The nobility of serving
        “The smile is a universal language”
        THC-infused candy incident raises safety concerns in California city
    • Offbeat
      • 12-year-old boy arrested after stolen forklift chase in Ann Arbor
        Bizarre police chase ends with suspect trapped in porta potty
        Jewelry store heist ends in high-speed chase and mystifying response...
        Massachusetts community steps in to protect black bear “Pumpkin”...
        Florida moms call cops on school librarians for distributing...
    • We Remember
      • Charlotte bridge dedicated to first female casualty in...
        Birmingham community mourns passing of its first Black police...
        “For those who suffered in silence and were lost”
        “You’re my hero”
        Manhattan Beach police officer and Las Vegas shooting survivor...
  • On the Job
    • San Diego County Sheriff’s Department unveils new night-flying...
      Security guard and former police chief killed in New Hampshire...
      San Diego County Sheriff’s Department unveils new night-flying...
      Toddler fires mom’s gun inside Ohio Walmart store
      Heroic K-9 unit honored at National Dog Show for role in capturing...
  • Labor
    • LAPD union files lawsuit against city over delayed pay raises
      “You can’t play politics with public safety”
      “It’s going to be extremely painful for New Yorkers”
      California Highway Patrol officers set to receive significant salary...
      Seattle City Council approves new agreement with police union
  • Tech
    • NYPD explores cutting-edge drone detection vehicle to enhance city...
      The use of military assets by U.S. police
      What you need to know about automatic license plate readers
      Why every agency needs a polygraph examiner
      North Carolina schools, businesses to beef up active shooter security...
  • Training
    • Ballistic shields in patrol operations
      Four things you need to know to control escalation
      Series of fires in Los Angeles County Sheriff’s mobile shooting...
      Using learning factors to influence your performance
      Lancaster Police Department introduces agility course in recruitment...
  • Policy
    • L.A. City Council seeks to require police permits for short-term...
      “Hate has no place in Massachusetts”
      “No child should be unsafe in their own city”
      Federal court rules Pennsylvania township’s ban on thin blue line...
      Texas House passes controversial immigration bill
  • Health/Wellness
    • Harnessing our strength: Post-traumatic growth
      Scientifically proven ways for cops to thrive
      The depression–anger cycle
      What does it mean to be a sheepdog?
      Depression screening
  • Community
    • Off-duty first responders save friend’s life after he experiences...
      New Jersey departments unite for No Shave November
      The nobility of serving
      “The smile is a universal language”
      THC-infused candy incident raises safety concerns in California city
  • Offbeat
    • 12-year-old boy arrested after stolen forklift chase in Ann Arbor
      Bizarre police chase ends with suspect trapped in porta potty
      Jewelry store heist ends in high-speed chase and mystifying response...
      Massachusetts community steps in to protect black bear “Pumpkin”...
      Florida moms call cops on school librarians for distributing...
  • We Remember
    • Charlotte bridge dedicated to first female casualty in...
      Birmingham community mourns passing of its first Black police...
      “For those who suffered in silence and were lost”
      “You’re my hero”
      Manhattan Beach police officer and Las Vegas shooting survivor...
  • Between the Lines
    • Debunking the perpetual narrative of racial bias in policing
      The unspoken truth behind the recruitment and retention crisis
      The police reform goal: use of force without options
      The imprisonment of law enforcement technology
      Persecution of the LEO is classic schadenfreude
  • About
  • The Magazine
  • Events
  • Partners
  • Products
  • Advertise
  • Contact
Search

Policy

Washington State passes law creating alert system for missing indigenous people

APB Team Published April 12, 2022 @ 1:49 pm PDT

iStock.com/CharlotteMB

Washington Governor Jay Inslee recently signed a law that will create an alert system for missing indigenous people.

The law attempts to address a growing crisis of missing indigenous people — primarily women — across the state by creating an alert system similar to Amber Alerts or “silver alerts,” which alert law enforcement and community members of missing children or vulnerable adults.

Democratic Representative Debra Lekanoff, a member of the Tlingit tribe, sponsored the bill, which was applauded by tribal leaders from across the state.

“I am proud to say that the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women’s and People’s Alert System came from the voices of our Native American leaders,” Lekanoff said. “It’s not just an Indian issue, it’s not just an Indian responsibility. Our sisters, our aunties, our grandmothers are going missing every day … and it’s been going on for far too long.”

The alert system will notify regional law enforcement agencies of reports of missing indigenous persons, as well as place messages on highway reader boards and on radio and social media channels. The alerts will also be transmitted to news media organizations.

Inslee also signed a second bill requiring medical examiners and coroners to identify and notify family members of murdered indigenous people and to return their remains. In addition, the bill creates two grant funds for services to help survivors of indigenous human trafficking.

The bill seeks to help coroners properly identify victims as Native American rather than mistakenly identifying them as White or Hispanic.

According to a 2021 report by the Government Accountability Office, the number of missing or murdered indigenous people is often under-reported due to distrust of law enforcement and jurisdictional issues.

The report went on to state that Native American women are murdered at a rate three times that of White women, and in Washington, the rate of missing people for indigenous people is four times that of their white counterparts.

Experts say that law enforcement investigations are often hampered because of jurisdictional and logistical conflicts between tribal police and local/state police. In addition, tribal police departments are often lacking in sufficient resources.

The alert system, which goes into effect on June 9, will help to facilitate communication and cooperation between tribal and non-tribal law enforcement agencies. It also allows non-tribal agencies to flag cases for their tribal partners by expanding the definition of “missing endangered person” to include indigenous people.

The alert system is the latest step taken to address the epidemic of missing and murdered indigenous people.

The Washington State Patrol launched a database of Native Americans who have gone missing. As part of the initiative, the WSP Missing and Unidentified Persons Unit (MUPU) collects information about the missing person in a “data packet” from consenting family members in order to further investigative efforts.

In addition, the state also created a special task force to investigate missing and murdered indigenous women and people and to investigate the causes behind the issue.

Its first report is expected to be finalized by August.

Categories: Policy Tags: Amber Alert, Washington, Jay Inslee, human trafficking, missing persons, task force, indigenous people, Tribal police, WSP, alert system

Primary Sidebar

Recent Articles

  • L.A. City Council seeks to require police permits for short-term rentals
  • 12-year-old boy arrested after stolen forklift chase in Ann Arbor
  • “Hate has no place in Massachusetts”
  • Bill Alexander Named CEO of National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund
  • Charlotte bridge dedicated to first female casualty in Charlotte-Mecklenburg P.D. history
  • Bizarre police chase ends with suspect trapped in porta potty
  • “No child should be unsafe in their own city”
  • San Diego County Sheriff’s Department unveils new night-flying firefighting helicopter
  • Security guard and former police chief killed in New Hampshire Hospital shooting
  • San Diego County Sheriff’s Department unveils new night-flying firefighting helicopter

Footer

Our Mission
To serve as a trusted voice of the nation’s law enforcement community, providing informative, entertaining and inspiring content on interesting and engaging topics affecting peace officers today.

Contact us: info@apbweb.com | (800) 234-0056.

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Instagram

Categories

  • Editor’s Picks
  • On the Job
  • Labor
  • Tech
  • Training
  • Policy
  • Health/Wellness
  • Community
  • Offbeat
  • We Remember
  • Jobs and Careers
  • Events

Editor’s Picks

Improve your pistol-handling skills

Improve your pistol-handling skills

October 21, 2023

What you need to know about automatic license plate readers

What you need to know about automatic license plate readers

October 20, 2023

Do cops need <em>more</em> training?

Do cops need more training?

October 17, 2023

Why every agency needs a polygraph examiner

Why every agency needs a polygraph examiner

October 16, 2023

Privacy Policy | Your Privacy Options | Notice at Collection | Copyright © 2023 APB Media, LLC | Website design, development and maintenance by 911MEDIA

Open

Subscribe

Close

Receive the latest news and updates from American Police Beat directly to your inbox!

  • This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.