Peace Garden News

U.S. Senators John Hoeven and Catherine Cortez Masto have announced the passage of their bipartisan legislation, the Bridging Agency Data Gaps & Ensuring Safety (BADGES) for Native Communities Act, by the U.S. Senate. The bill aims to enhance law enforcement resources in Indian Country.

Senator Hoeven emphasized the importance of supporting Tribal law enforcement in meeting staffing needs and ensuring public safety. "Our legislation is about empowering Tribal law enforcement to meet their staffing needs, giving them greater support as they work to protect their communities and keep the public safe," he stated.

Senator Cortez Masto highlighted the challenges faced by Tribal communities in Nevada regarding law enforcement capacity and missing persons cases. She expressed pride in collaborating with Senator Hoeven on this initiative, stating, "Tribal communities in Nevada have made it clear to me that their law enforcement is stretched thin, and this is impacting their ability to address the crisis of missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls."

The BADGES for Native Communities Act seeks to streamline officer recruitment by allowing the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) to conduct its own background checks. It also aims to improve access to federal resources for addressing missing persons cases through increased Tribal access to the National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs).

A joint statement from several Tribal leaders praised the Senate's passage of S. 465 – Bridging Agency Data Gaps & Ensuring Safety (BADGES) for Native Communities Act as a positive step toward addressing public safety needs in tribal areas.

The act also mandates a report on various aspects of Tribal law enforcement needs, establishes a grant program for coordinating efforts related to missing persons cases, and evaluates federal evidence handling procedures crucial for securing convictions.

Senate approval of this legislation builds upon previous efforts by Senator Hoeven, who has secured funding through his role on the Senate Appropriations Committee for training centers aimed at enhancing law enforcement capabilities within tribal communities.