Dawn Begay, the City of Albuquerque’s Native American Affairs Coordinator, and Commander Gerard Bartlett of the Albuquerque Police Department have been honored with the national Attorney General’s Award for Outstanding Contributions to Community Partnerships for Public Safety. Their recognition stems from their efforts in coordinating agencies for a massive Missing or Murdered Indigenous Persons initiative.
Albuquerque’s Office of Native Affairs, a part of the City’s larger Office of Equity and Inclusion (OEI), has been instrumental in this initiative. Established by Mayor Tim Keller in 2018, the OEI has been working towards building collaborations to help find missing and murdered indigenous women. Dawn Begay's work has been pivotal in bringing together 50 jurisdictions in New Mexico, allowing the FBI to start its pilot program in the state.
“The FBI was able to start its pilot program in New Mexico because of the groundwork Dawn has done over the past two years to bring 50 jurisdictions together in New Mexico,” said Michelle Melendez, Director of the City’s Office of Equity and Inclusion. “The collaborations fostered by Dawn and her colleagues have helped bring the number of unsolved cases down from more than 500 in 2019 to 78 in 2023.”
The recognition is particularly significant as Albuquerque is among the top five cities experiencing the crisis of missing and murdered indigenous people, according to the Urban Indian Health Institute. The work being done by the City and its partners is critical in ensuring that these individuals are recognized and found.
Commander Gerard Bartlett of the Albuquerque Police Department also shares in this prestigious award. Together with representatives from the New Mexico Field Office of the FBI, Indian Affairs Department, the U.S. Attorney’s Office, and others, they joined in accepting the Attorney General’s Award for Outstanding Contributions to Community Partnerships for Public Safety.
The dedication and collaboration exhibited by Dawn Begay, Commander Gerard Bartlett, and their fellow partners have made a significant impact in addressing the crisis of missing and murdered indigenous people. Their efforts have not gone unnoticed, and this national recognition serves as a testament to their outstanding contributions to community partnerships for public safety.
