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Montana’s Missing Indigenous Persons Task Force Named

Members include representatives of all eight Montana tribes

By Associated Press

HELENA — Attorney General Tim Fox has appointed 11 members to the Missing Indigenous Persons Task Force.

Montana lawmakers created the task force to identify jurisdictional and communication barriers among law enforcement agencies that prevent adequate investigation of missing Native Americans and ways to improve collaboration.

The task force also will oversee a grant program to fund efforts by tribes to identify, report and find missing Native Americans.

The task force members include representatives of all eight Montana tribes along with Deputy Attorney General Melissa Schlichting, the Montana Missing Persons Clearinghouse Manager Jennifer Viets and a Montana Highway Patrol trooper.

The task force is scheduled to hold its first meeting on June 11 in Helena. The next day, the Montana Department of Justice and the U.S. Attorney’s Office are holding a missing persons training in Helena.