Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the State Response Mmip topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Justice officials and advocates describe state training, data and survivor‑service efforts and gaps
Summary
California Department of Justice officials, county sheriffs and advocacy groups described new training, a pilot for expanded tribal officer status, a state MMIP cohort grant and local victim‑service work, while urging more funding for crime labs, DNA testing and sustained survivor services.
State officials and county law enforcement described incremental work and lingering gaps in California’s response to missing and murdered Indigenous people, emphasizing training, data systems and survivor services.
Isaac Pohorkis, acting director of the Office of Native American Affairs at the California Department of Justice, summarized agency steps: regional Missing in California Indian Country (MICIC) planning, a "Native American Marcy’s Law card" project, and work with the attorney general’s PL 280 advisory council to develop post‑academy training for officers.
Humboldt County Sheriff William Honsal described persistent operational challenges: limited DNA testing capacity at the state crime lab and uneven county procedures. He said familial DNA testing has helped solve cold cases but often requires costly outside lab work; he told the committee his office sometimes pays about $10,000 per test to private labs.
San Bernardino County Sheriff Shannon Dicus urged practical coordination with tribes and service providers. "Law enforcement needs their help," Dicus said, arguing for 24/7 access to victim services and rapid‑response partners rather than expecting law enforcement to shoulder all aftercare responsibilities.
On survivor services, Samantha Thornsberry described Cahuilla Consortium’s state‑funded MMIP cohort work: hiring advocates and outreach staff, building a statewide web hub to centralize tribal resources, and using remote‑advocacy models (hotel placements, remote counseling) to reach survivors across large territories.
Advocates and sheriffs urged specific investments: more funding for tribal police training and POST accreditation, expanded forensic and DNA testing at state labs, clearer Feather Alert protocols and permanent funding for tribal victim services. Committee members and panelists described pending and proposed bills addressing tribal police status, child‑welfare prevention and coordinated law‑enforcement responses; they asked for follow‑up briefings and budget proposals to operationalize the priorities discussed.
