Montana Missing Indigenous Persons Task Force

Attorney General Austin Knudsen advocated for legislation during the 2023 legislative session to reauthorize the statewide Missing Indigenous Persons Task Force for ten years, extending its authority from the previous two-year sunset dates and providing the needed continuity to more effectively fulfill its long-term mission of addressing the crisis.

Members include representatives from each of the state’s eight federally recognized tribes, a representative from the Attorney General’s Office, a representative from the Montana Department of Justice who has expertise in the subject of missing persons, the Montana Highway Patrol and the Montana Office of Public Instruction. The U.S. Attorney General’s Office (Montana District), Indian Health Services, Ohkomi Forensics and the U.S. Missing and Murdered Indigenous Persons (MMIP) Coordinator for Montana are also represented on the task force.

DUTIES

1. Identify jurisdictional barriers between federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement and community agencies
2. Work to identify causes that contribute to missing and murdered indigenous persons and make recommendations to federally recognized tribes in the state to reduce cases of missing and murdered indigenous persons
3. Work to identify strategies to improve interagency communication, cooperation, and collaboration to remove jurisdictional barriers and increase reporting and investigation of missing indigenous persons

OBJECTIVES

Reduce Indigenous missing persons in Montana
Improve collaboration
Identify families’ needs
Track data on Montana missing indigenous persons