A grant has been made to help with the funding of the Office of Liaison for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Persons in the South Dakota Attorney General’s Office.
The grant, in cooperation with St. Joseph’s Indian School and Native Hope, Inc., will provide $85,000 per year for the years 2022 to 2024.
The Office of Liaison will coordinate with the U.S. Attorney’s Office, the Department of Justice, state and tribal law enforcement agencies to build communication and bridge the gaps in coordination and training.
“This is an important and exciting step forward for the people of South Dakota and our tribal partners,” said Attorney General Jason Ravnsborg. “Our goal is to improve the outcomes for missing and murdered indigenous persons, but also to build and become a model for other situations where jurisdictional gaps create issues.”
“The decision to fund the grant was a logical next step in our commitment to the issue that has been a pillar of our work for seven years now,” said Executive Director of Native Hope Jennifer Long. “In the work we do with tribal communities, we want to have a positive impact. No more missing sisters. No more missing indigenous people.”
The Office of the Attorney General will be initiating an employment search to find the right person to serve as the first South Dakota Liaison for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Persons.
Comments