Specialized MMIP lawyers to aid local agencies in MMIP cases

ANCHORAGE, Alaska (KTUU) – The Department of Justice announced the launch of the Missing or Murdered Indigenous People Regional Outreach Program, which will be helping to solve crimes, including reviewing unsolved crimes, in rural native communities.

The positions brought to Alaska’s U.S. Attorneys Office include three Indian Country Assistant U.S. Attorneys and one MMIP Coordinator — both to be based in Alaska.

In a press release, U.S attorney S. Lane Tucker said the additional personnel will aid in communities all over Alaska.

“Our office is committed to combating violence in Alaska Native communities across the state and reducing the high rates of domestic violence, sexual assault, and trafficking in these communities. These resources are an essential part of that effort,” Tucker said.

Bryan Wilson, Executive U.S. Attorney for the District of Alaska, welcomes the added assistance at a time when more resources than ever are being used to solve cases involving Indigenous people.

“This is just a very exciting time for these issues in Alaska,” Wilson said.

The resources mean a lot to the Alaska Native families who have missing or murdered loved ones — a problem that sparks protests and calls for action across Alaska, the United States and Canada. Now Alaska is one of five designated regions across the country that will be given specialized support for the missing or murdered Indigenous people.

The federal government has limited jurisdiction to prosecute crime in rural Alaska, but the new changes means that the state’s U.S. Attorney’s Office will have more tools at their disposal.

“This has reached a critical mass, where the Natives — and like I said our congressional delegation too — has really realized something needs to be done, and for whatever reason it’s very heartening to see it all coming together but I’ve heard several native leaders say that this is a once-in-a-generation opportunity,” Wilson said.

In addition to providing specialized support addressing issues involving MMIP cases, the attorneys aim to combat violence in Alaska Native communities and improve relations among federal, tribal, state and local agencies. Healing from generational and current traumas faced by Native communities is also important.

“Things that happened 40 years ago, people are still talking about in the present tense, and there so much pain,” Wilson said. “It’s very gratifying to be able to do something to address that.”

Wilson has seen firsthand the pain caused by cases of missing or murdered Alaskans that go unsolved.

“It’s important, I think, not only the families of the missing or murdered people, but also to the communities in general. And once again, that has been very eye-opening to me — in these small communities, one person’s pain is the entire community’s pain. Too often, for various reasons, they feel they haven’t been given the response that you would get for someone in the Lower 48 or maybe a person who’s not Native,” Wilson said.

Tribes in Alaska are working with the attorneys to create response plans for reports of missing persons in rural Alaska villages. Wilson believes the resources will go a long way for Native communities.

“There’s actually bodies being put on this problem, money’s being given to it, and time. We’re a far way from solving it, but if we can stick with it for a few years, we’ll see some real progress,” Wilson said.

Wilson emphasized tribal leaders are utilizing the resources on offer, and expect great success.

“Alaska is really leading the country in this fight and when I call Washington, we get heard in Washington because of Ingrid and the tribal leaders and its very excited to be a part of it,” Wilson said.

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