In correspondence with the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs, the Western Governors’ Association (WGA) submitted policy recommendations for the BADGES for Native Communities Act to address the significant law enforcement shortages exacerbating the missing and murdered indigenous persons crisis. “Having sufficient law enforcement personnel is important to ensure timely response and adequate resources for MMIP cases,” the letter of April 16, 2024, signed by WGA Executive Director Jack Waldorf, read. “Western Governors urge the Bureau of Indian Affairs to increase the number of tribal officers on lands under tribal and federal jurisdiction and increase the pace of hiring officers.” Read the full correspondence for additional details.
