Attorney General Raúl Torrez recently hosted a Tribal Law Enforcement Summit in New Mexico, gathering leaders from various law enforcement agencies, including tribal police departments, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), and the New Mexico Department of Public Safety. The event was organized by the Indian Affairs Bureau of the New Mexico Department of Justice (NMDOJ) and featured presentations on topics such as criminal jurisdiction, cross deputization guidance, and updates on the missing and murdered Indigenous peoples (MMIP) initiative.
Attorney General Torrez said, "This summit represents the kind of partnership we envisioned when I created the first-ever Indian Affairs Bureau within this office." He emphasized that the goal is to strengthen relationships and develop new tools for future use. The summit included discussions on data-sharing initiatives and resources for tribal entities to enhance community safety.
Participants included nearly 60 individuals from 19 different law enforcement organizations. Among them were representatives from Pueblo of Pojoaque, Ohkay Owingeh, Pueblo of Tesuque, Taos Pueblo, and others. FBI Intelligence Analyst Don Metzmeier highlighted the FBI's ongoing support for tribal, state, and local agencies investigating missing persons cases involving Indigenous individuals in New Mexico.
Major Nathan Barton from the Pojoaque Police Department expressed gratitude for participating in meaningful dialogue at the summit. He said it reaffirmed "the importance of collaboration" in serving communities in Indian Country.
For more information about NMDOJ’s Indian Affairs Bureau and its MMIP Task Force, visit their official website at NMDOJ.gov.
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