More than two years ago, Washington became the first state to implement alerts for missing Indigenous people. Today, law enforcement officials say the alerts—enacted in response to statistics showing that Indigenous persons go missing at a higher rate than other groups—have proved crucial in locating missing teens, many of whom can become victims of trafficking. Carri Gordon of the Washington State Patrol says the presence of the alerts has been effective in getting runaway youth to make contact with law enforcement. The alerts are also credited with improving coordination between Tribal and non-Tribal authorities which supports swifter location of missing persons. Gordon notes that MMIP alerts have helped solve longer-term cases (including that of Puyallup Tribal member Besse Handy).
