ALRP. WE LIKE TO CALL THE SELECT
COMMITTEE ON NATIVE AMERICAN
AFFAIRS TO ORDER WE HAVE MEMBERS
THAT ARE HAVING DIFFERENT EVENTS
, SO YOU'LL SEE SOME MEMBERS POP
IN POP OUT, BUT WE ARE BEING
RECORDED AND ALL THE TESTIMONY
THAT YOU'RE GOING TO HEAR TODAY
WILL BE A RECORDED IN THE STATE
LEGISLATURE SO THAT WE COULD GO
BACK AND LOOK AT IT. BUT TODAY'S
HEARING IS MEANT TO HEAR FROM
THOSE ON THE FRONT LINES. UH
ISSUES OF SUCCESS ISSUES THAT WE
NEED TO IMPROVE AND TO HEAR FROM
THE VOICES THEMSELVES. AND THIS
IS A PRETTY, UM BUT TOUGH ISSUE
FOR INDIAN PEOPLE WHEN WE DEAL
WITH THESE TYPES OF ISSUES, SO
WHAT I'M GOING TO DO IS TAKE THE
PRIVILEGE AS THE CHAIR OF THE
SELECT COMMITTEE NAMED AMERICAN
AFFAIRS AND OPEN UP IN A
TRADITIONAL SONG, AND THIS IS
SERRANO BIGHORN SHEEP SONG. YEAH
FIVE. AH TONIGHT. BY THE NIGHT
TO MM AM BIO BY AH DENIAL BY
TONIGHT TO I AM BY, UM BYE. UP
TO MY OWN BIO BY TONIGHT, I'LL
BUY OEM BY. BY BY BAJA THAN I'VE
EVER I OWN BIO. BY BUT THEN I'VE
UP BY AH, THE, HMM. AM VILE BY
BUT DENIED BY, UH, THE NIGHT. MM
HMM. FILE. MM BYE. THE NIGHT I
FILED BAJA TONIGHT I OWN BIO BY
THEN A ILL FILE BAJA THAN I'VE
ARE AM BIO. HMM. I JUST WANT TO
THANK YOU AND RECOGNIZING ALSO
THOSE OF THIS LAND THAT DARKNESS
, NON PEOPLE, PARLIAMENT PEOPLE.
THANK YOU.
YES CHAIRMAN. YOU COULD TAKE
PRIVILEGE LIKE THAT. SEE? YEAH.
YOU KNOW, I JUST WANT TO THANK
EVERYBODY FOR BEING HERE. AND
BRINGING TO ISSUE UH, YOU KNOW,
WITH THE PRESS CONFERENCE THAT
WE JUST HAD, BUT THE ISSUES THAT
STILL PLAGUE CALIFORNIA INDIAN
PEOPLE, CALIFORNIA'S FIRST
PEOPLE HERE IN THE STATE OF
CALIFORNIA WE'RE GOING TO HAVE
DIFFERENT PANELS OF TESTIMONY
MOVING FORWARD OR JUST AN
OVERVIEW. OUR FIRST PANEL WILL
BE AN OVERVIEW OF CALIFORNIA'S
EFFORTS ON MICHIGAN MURDER,
INDIGENOUS PERSONS, FEATHER
ALERT AND A B 1399 FROM THE
ATTORNEY GENERAL'S OFFICE.
CHANNEL TWO WILL BE TRIBAL
PERSPECTIVE ON IMPLEMENTATION OF
THE FEDERAL ALERT, AND THAT'S
WHERE WE'LL HEAR MORE DISCUSSION
ON SUCCESSES AND AREAS THAT WE
NEED TO ADDRESS PANEL THREE WILL
BE LAW ENFORCEMENT PERSPECTIVE,
IMPLEMENTATION OF FEDERAL ERT
AND THAT WILL BE COMBINED WITH
TRIBAL POLICE AND HUMBOLDT
COUNTY SHERIFF SAN FRANCISCO
POLICE COMMISSIONER SAN DIEGO
SHERIFF KELLY MARTINEZ AND LOS
ANGELES POLICE DEPARTMENT
COMMANDER J. MASTIC. UM WE ALSO
WILL HAVE, UM, WITH US. ALSO IN
THE ROOM IS THE CALIFORNIA
HIGHWAY PATROL COMMISSIONER
SHAWN DURING A SO WE HAVE ALL
THESE ISSUES OF COMING TOGETHER,
AND IT WAS SAID THAT 2024 IS A
TIME OF BUILDING COALITION.
ALLIES TO MOVE FORWARD TO START
TO ADDRESS THESE ISSUES THAT
HAVE PLAGUED CALIFORNIA'S FIRST
PEOPLE FOR OVER 100 AND 70 YEARS
SINCE THE CREATION OF THE STATE
OF CALIFORNIA. BUT WE'RE ALL IN
THIS ROOM TOGETHER TO FIND
SOLUTIONS, HOW WE BEST MOVE
FORWARD AND HOW WE BEST START TO
BRING PUBLIC SAFETY TO
CALIFORNIA'S FIRST PEOPLE, SO
THAT LOVED ONES THAT GO MISSING
CAN BE FOUND AND BROUGHT BACK
HOME SAFELY. NOT BEING ANOTHER
STATISTIC HERE IN THE STATE OF
CALIFORNIA AND HEARD ME SAY IT
BEFORE WHEN I FIRST GOT ELECTED.
UM WE LOOKED INTO THE MISSING
AND MURDERED INDIGENOUS PERSON
NATIVE AMERICAN PERSONS ISSUE.
CALIFORNIA WAS NUMBER SEVEN OF
ALL STATES IN THE NATION. TODAY
GOING INTO 2020 FORWARD NUMBER
FIVE MOVING IN THE WRONG
DIRECTION. SO IT'S JUST THAT
WE'RE ALL HERE TODAY ON BUILDING
A COALITION AND BUILDING THAT
MUTUAL RESPECT. SO WHEN THINGS
DO HAPPEN, THAT THERE'S A CALL
OUT TO LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT, UM
THEN ALL ESTIMATE LEE, THE
FEATHER ALERT TRIGGERED BY THE
CALIFORNIA HIGHWAY PATROL, BUT
WE ALSO HAVE TO HAVE DIFFERENT
MUTUAL RESPECT AND
IMPLEMENTATION MEETINGS WITH THE
TRIBAL COMMUNITY ITSELF AND THE
TRIBAL POLICE AND A LOT OF THIS
IS I BELIEVE SENATOR AROUND
PUBLIC LAW 280 THAT
JURISDICTIONAL DIVIDE THAT STILL
SEPARATES MANY. WITH THAT WE
WANT TO GET STARTED ON OUR FIRST
PANEL AND I WILL INVITE UP TO
THE DIOCESE HERE. THE AREA WE'RE
GONNA HAVE FIRST PANEL OVERVIEW
OF CALIFORNIA EFFORTS ON MISSING
AND MURDERED INDIGENOUS PERSONS,
FEATHER ALERT AND A B 1399. WE
HAVE THE CALIFORNIA HIGHWAY
PATROL COMMISSIONER SEAN DERAY.
AND OFFICE OF THE ATTORNEY
GENERAL, CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT
OF JUSTICE DIRECTOR MARY LOPEZ
KIEFER.
MHM. COMMISSIONER. THANK YOU, MR
CHAIR. THANK YOU. MORNING.
THANKS FOR STARTING OFF THE
MEETING. THAT WAY. UM APPRECIATE
THAT. IT'S AN HONOR FOR ME TO BE
HERE. MY NAME IS CHANDRA. I'M
THE COMMISSIONER OF THE
CALIFORNIA HIGHWAY PATROL. I'VE
BEEN IN THIS ROLE FOR FEBRUARY.
3RD WILL MARK ONE YEAR SO COMING
UP ON ONE YEAR. AND BEFORE I.
TACKLE THE TOPICS THAT I WAS
INVITED TO SPEAK ON DIRECTLY.
LET ME JUST SAY THAT TO DO YOU
AND EVERYBODY IN THE ROOM THAT
THIS IS A PRIORITY FOR US. YOU
KNOW, WE WANT TO BE PART OF THE
SOLUTION. UM YOU KNOW, THE
CALIFORNIA HARBOR TROLLS. THE
STATEWIDE COORDINATOR DOESN'T
WANT TO BE SEEN AS A ROADBLOCK
OR. PROHIBITION ON THESE ALERTS,
BUT WE WANT TO BE SEEN AS PART
OF THE TEAM. AND FOR US THE
BOTTOM LINE IS THAT THESE WERE
DOING EVERYTHING WE CAN TO MAKE
PEOPLE AWARE. MISSING PERSON AND
THOSE AT RISK AND THAT AS A LAW
ENFORCEMENT AGENCY, WE'RE DOING
EVERYTHING WE CAN AND USING ALL
THE RESOURCES AVAILABLE TO US.
TO SAFELY FIND AND LOCATE. THESE
MISSING PEOPLE. AS YOU KNOW, SIR
, THE BILL WENT INTO EFFECT
JANUARY 1ST OF 2023. SO WE'RE
JUST OVER A YEAR OF THE FEATHER
ALERT. AND I WAS ASKED TO TALK
ABOUT JUST HOW THE HELL PATROL
HAS DONE WITH IMPLEMENTATION
REPORT BACK ON SOME OF THE
TRAINING THAT WE'VE DONE THE
OUTREACH AND MAYBE SOME OF THE
FEEDBACK THAT WE RECEIVED SO FAR
. SO THE CHP'S ROLE IN THIS AT
THE STATEWIDE COORDINATOR IS WE
ISSUE THE ALERT. WE WORK HAND IN
HAND WITH THE LOCAL
JURISDICTIONS, WHETHER IT'S
MUNICIPALITY, A SHERIFF'S OFFICE
LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCY, AND WE
DETERMINED TOGETHER WHETHER THE
SET CRITERIA THE CRITERIA SET BY
THE LEGISLATURE. HAS BEEN MET,
AND WE WORK HAND IN HAND WITH
THAT LAW ENFORCEMENT AND AGENCY.
WE GO THROUGH THE CRITERIA STEP
BY STEP, AND AT THAT POINT A
DECISION IS MADE ON WHETHER OR
NOT THE CRITERIA HAS BEEN MET
AND WHETHER OR NOT A FEATHER
ALERT IS ISSUED. I CAN TELL YOU
SINCE THE LAW WAS ENACTED IN
2023, WE'VE RECEIVED FIVE
REQUESTS FOR FURTHER ALERTS IN
CALIFORNIA. UM THEY WENT THROUGH
THAT COLLABORATIVE PROCESS. AND
OF THOSE FIVE TO FEATHER ALERTS
WERE ISSUED. I'M HAPPY TO REPORT
THAT BOTH OF THE ACTIVATIONS
RESULTED IN THE RECOVERY OF THE
MISSING PERSONS. I THINK A POINT
OF DISCUSSION TODAY WILL BE THE
ONES THAT WERE NOT ISSUED, AND
DURING THAT PROCESS BETWEEN THE
LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCY AND
THE PERSONALITY CHP. THE
DECISION WAS MADE THAT THE
CRITERIA WAS NOT MET. THAT
DOESN'T MEAN THAT WE DON'T
PROACTIVELY TAKE STEPS TO HELP
LOCATE PEOPLE, JUST THE CRITERIA
FOR THE ACTUAL FEATHER ALERT WAS
NOT ISSUED. OF THOSE. THREE ALL
THREE WERE LOCATED.
UNFORTUNATELY ONE OF THEM WAS
LOCATED DECEASED OF APPARENT
SUICIDE. THE OTHER TWO WERE
LOCATED THROUGH MORE TRADITIONAL
LAW ENFORCEMENT MEANS AND I
THINK MEANS OF THE COMMUNITY OF
GETTING THE WORD OUT. I WAS
TALKING WITH SOME TRIBAL
LEADERSHIP BEFORE THIS, AND THEY
HAD INDICATED THEY USED THEIR
OWN SOCIAL MEDIA TO GET THE WORD
OUT. AND SO I THINK OF THE
THREE. LIKE I SAID ONE WAS FOUND
DECEASED SUICIDE. THE OTHER TWO
WE'RE LOCATED. HOW THE CHP UM,
WORKS HOW WE DO IT. ON OUR END.
WE HAVE THE EMERGENCY
NOTIFICATION. TACTICAL ALERT
CENTER. WE CALL IT INTACT. UM
IT'S A 24 7 OPERATION. IT'S
HOUSED RIGHT HERE IN SACRAMENTO
AT OUR CHP HEADQUARTERS, I WOULD
OPEN IT UP TO ANYBODY INTERESTED
? WE'RE HAPPY TO GIVE YOU A TOUR
OF THE FACILITY. KIND OF EDUCATE
YOU FURTHER ON HOW IT WORKS, BUT
THESE MEN AND WOMEN ARE EDUCATED
ON THE ALERTS THAT WE FACILITATE
IN CALIFORNIA AS A STATEWIDE
COORDINATOR, AND THEY'RE THEY'RE
READY AND WILLING TO RECEIVE
THESE REQUESTS FROM LOCAL LAW
ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES AND ISSUE
THE ALERTS WHEN APPROPRIATE.
INTACT. CONDUCTS A FULL ANALYSIS
AND INTAKE INVOLVING EACH NON
ACTIVATED REQUEST. THAT DOES NOT
MEET THE ALERT CRITERIA. AND
WHEN A REQUEST DOES NOT MEET THE
CRITERIA FOR ACTIVATION, THE CHP
STILL OFFERS SOME INVESTIGATIVE
ASSISTANCE AND SUPPORT TO THE
INVESTIGATING LAW ENFORCEMENT
AGENCY IN HOPES OF RECOVERING
THE MISSING OR AT RISK PERSON.
MANY MAY NOT KNOW OR MAYBE THEY
DO KNOW THAT THE CURRENTLY WE
HAVE SEVEN DIFFERENT ALERTS IN
CALIFORNIA. PROBABLY THE BEST OR
THE MOST KNOWN OR WELL KNOWN AS
THE AMBER ALERT HAS BEEN IN
EFFECT SINCE 2002. BY WAY OF
PERSPECTIVE, THAT FIRST YEAR WE
RECEIVED 17 REQUESTS FOR AMBER
ALERT. ACTIVATIONS 16 OF THOSE
17 REQUESTS WERE MET THE
CRITERIA. AND WERE ISSUED THIS
YEAR IN 2023. THE YEAR WE'RE
DISCUSSING. WE RECEIVED SIX
REQUESTS FOR AMBER ALERTS AND
SIX WERE ISSUED. I PROVIDED FOR
MY STAFF PREPARED AND PROVIDED A
CHART THAT I HOPE YOU RECEIVED
AND THE OTHER MEMBERS OF THE
COMMITTEE WILL BE PROVIDED. BUT
IT'S UH IT SHOWS THE DIFFERENT
ALERTS THAT WE ACTIVATED AND
REQUEST THAT WE RECEIVED IN
2023. HOPEFULLY IT WILL SERVE AS
A COMPARISON. IN ADDITION TO
AMBER ALERT, WE HAVE THE BLUE
ALERT. WE HAVE THE SILVER ALERT.
WE HAVE, OF COURSE, THE FEATHER
ALERT. WE HAVE THE RECENTLY
ENACTED EBONY ALERT. WE HAVE, UH
, AN ALERT FOR ENDANGERED
MISSING ADVISORIES, AND WE ALSO
HAVE THE YELLOW ALERT. FOR ME.
THE DIFFERENT ALERTS HIGHLIGHT
THIS STRATEGY IN THIS
RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN GOVERNMENT
AND PUBLIC SECTOR BETWEEN LAW
ENFORCEMENT AND COMMUNITIES. IT
LEVERAGES TRADITIONAL MEDIA. IT
LEVERAGES SOCIAL MEDIA
PLATFORMS. AND OTHER PARTNERS TO
EFFECTIVELY PROVIDE THE PUBLIC
WITH REAL ACTIONABLE ITEM THAT
ALLOWS THESE ALERTS TO BE
SUCCESSFUL. I THINK THAT'S A KEY
COMPONENT OF THE SUCCESS OF
THESE ALERTS IS WE'RE PUTTING
OUT INFORMATION. THAT WILL HELP
THE PUBLIC. RECOGNIZE AND
IDENTIFY THE WHEREABOUTS OF
THESE AT RISK PERSONNEL. IN
REGARDS TO TRAINING. I WAS ASKED
TO TALK ABOUT SPECIFICALLY
TRAINING THE CALIFORNIA PENAL
CODE MANDATES POST TRAINING ON
MISSING PERSONS FOR ALL LAW
ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS AND
DISPATCHERS. UM BY WAY OF
PROCESSES. EVERY LAW ENFORCEMENT
OFFICER HAS PROVIDED WHAT WE
CALL IN THE HOWARD TROY AND I
DON'T KNOW WHAT OTHER LAW
ENFORCEMENT'S CALLED BUT ALREADY
WRAPPED. IT'S A IT'S A QUICK
REFERENCE GUY THAT'S CARRIED
WITH THEM WHILE THEY'RE ON
PATROL AND IN THAT READY RIFT,
WHICH WE PRODUCE INCLUDES
MISSING PERSONS, ALERTS AND
STEPS BY STEP PROCESS IS TAKEN
BY BEAT OFFICERS. TO FACILITATE
THOSE ALERTS. UM WE ENCOURAGE
INVESTIGATING AGENCIES TO
UTILIZE OUR SYSTEM STATEWIDE
COORDINATOR TO HELP PROVIDE
TRAINING. WE'RE REQUIRED BY LAW
TO PROVIDE TRAINING FOR AMBER
ALERTS. BUT WHEN WE DO PROVIDE
THAT TRAINING, WE PROVIDE
TRAINING NOT ONLY ON AMBER ALERT
, BUT WE'VE HAD TRAINING ON THE
OTHER SIX ALERTS THAT I
MENTIONED, SO WE PUT THEM ALL
INTO THAT TRAINING. UM OUTREACH.
THE CHP IN COOPERATION WITH YOU,
MR RAMOS SAYS, YOU KNOW, AND THE
DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE BUREAU OF
INDIAN AFFAIRS. OR ALLIED AGENCY
PARTNERS. WE'VE TEAMED UP IN
2023 AND PROVIDED INFORMATION
AND OUTREACH TO OVER 170. OFFICE
OF NATIVE AMERICAN AFFAIRS. I'M
SORRY. YEAH. BECAUSE THERE'S A
BUREAU OKAY, FEDERAL SIDE. IT'S
COOL. THAT'S ALRIGHT H ONE OF
MANY MISTAKES I'VE MADE IN MY
CAREER. I WILL CHALK THAT UP. SO
PLEASE PROCEED. THANK YOU. HE
WAS ABOUT TO DROP THE GAVEL ON
YOU. YES PLEASE FEEL FREE. SHE
SPEAKS UP AGAIN. NO, I'M JOKING.
WE DID THIS OUTREACH 170 ALLIED
AGENCIES, NON PROFIT
ORGANIZATIONS, PUBLIC SAFETY
PARTNERS AND THE TRIBAL
COMMUNITIES THROUGHOUT
CALIFORNIA IN REGARDS
SPECIFICALLY TO THE FEATHER
ALERT, ITS ACTIVATION CRITERIA
AND THE CAPABILITIES AND
LIMITATIONS OF WHAT THE FEATHER
ALERT DOES AND DOESN'T DO. AS
YOU KNOW, MR CHAIR AND THE
REPORT I'M RECEIVING IS THIS
TRAINING WAS SUCCESSFUL. IT'S
WELL RECEIVED WHEN WE DO IT. I
THINK YOU AND I TALKED EARLIER.
THERE NEEDS TO BE MORE OF THAT.
WE NEED TO CONTINUE THOSE
EFFORTS AND WE'RE ALL IN TO DO
THAT. SOMETHING I WANTED TO
HIGHLIGHT IN REGARDS TO OUR
EFFORTS INTO OUTREACH TO TRAVEL
COMMUNITIES AND INDIGENOUS
COMMUNITIES IS IN 2022, THE CHP
WAS AWARDED A NITSA GRANT
THROUGH THE OFFICE OF TRAFFIC
SAFETY THAT GRANT WAS FOR
$400,000 IN SPECIFICALLY, UM,
ENCOURAGE THE CHP TO TARGET
OUTREACH IN NORTHERN CALIFORNIA.
THIS SPECIFIC GRANT WAS FOCUSED
ON WHAT WE CALL OUR VALLEY
GOLDEN GATE NORTHERN DIVISION,
WHICH IS BASICALLY SACRAMENTO,
THE BAY AREA ALL THE WAY UP.
THROUGH NORTHERN CALIFORNIA.
WITH THIS GRANT WE CREATED. THE
CHP S NATIVE TRIBAL TRAFFIC
EDUCATION PROGRAM. THIS GRANT IS
A PROACTIVE PROGRAM DESIGNED TO
PRIMARILY TO EDUCATE TRIBAL
COMMUNITIES ON TRAFFIC SAFETY
ISSUES, DRIVING UNDER THE
INFLUENCE AND OTHER THINGS THAT
OCCUPANT SAFETY RESTRAINT AND AS
SUCH TO ENCOURAGE SAFE DRIVING
BEHAVIOR AS PART OF THAT,
BECAUSE WE ARE THERE AND WERE
PRESENT AND WERE IN THE
COMMUNITY WERE ALREADY DOING
THIS OUTREACH AND EDUCATION. WE
ARE ALSO USING THAT TO OUR
ADVANTAGE TO EDUCATE COMMUNITIES
ON THE DEFENDER, FEATHER ALERT.
BOTTOM LINE. OUR OUR GOAL IS TO
IMPROVE SAFETY AND SERVICE TO
NOT ONLY THE INDIGENOUS
COMMUNITY TO ALL COMMUNITIES IN
CALIFORNIA AND MAKE SURE THAT
WE'RE OUT REACHING AND EDUCATING
AND SERVING EVERY PERSON IN
CALIFORNIA THROUGH OUR SAFETY
PROGRAMS AND WHAT THE CHP HAS TO
OFFER. SOME FEEDBACK THAT I'VE
RECEIVED IS THE TRIBAL
COMMUNITIES HAVE SHOWN
APPRECIATION FROM THE FOR THE
FEATHER ALERT. THEY FEEL LIKE
THEY'VE INDICATED TO US AND OUR
TRAINERS AS THEY GO OUT AND DO
THIS OUTREACH THAT FOR IN MANY
WAYS FOR THE FIRST TIME, THEY
FEEL LIKE WE SEE THEM AND THEY
MATTER AND WHERE MAYBE BEFORE.
PREVIOUSLY THEY MAY HAVE FELT
IGNORED IN THIS AREA. THEY'RE
ENCOURAGED BY YOUR LEGISLATION
THAT IT'S PROOF THAT THIS IS A
REAL ISSUE AND THAT LAW
ENFORCEMENT'S WILLING TO USE OUR
RESOURCES TO HELP AND
ASSISTANCE. SOME CRITICISM AND
I'LL BE COMPLETELY TRANSPARENT
ON THIS. WE'VE ALSO RECEIVED
SOME CRITICISM ABOUT THE WAY.
IT'S STRUCTURED AND HOW
SOMETIMES THE ALERTS HAVE TO GO
THROUGH OTHER LAW ENFORCEMENT
AGENCIES. UM LET ME SAY THIS AS
THE COMMISSIONER, I'M OPEN TO
ANY IDEAS AND WAYS WE CAN MAKE
THIS BETTER. I THINK AS A
COMMUNITY, WE HAVE TO CONTINUE
TO STRIVE TO MAKE IMPROVEMENT
AND MAKE THESE THINGS BETTER. SO
ANYTHING WE CAN DO ON OUR END.
AND THE VOICE THAT WE CAN
PROVIDE TO HELP MAKE THESE
BETTER. I'M OPEN TO IT. SO THANK
YOU FOR HAVING ME HERE TODAY.
UM, THAT CONCLUDES WHAT I WAS
ASKED TO SPEAK ABOUT DIRECTLY
HAPPY TO ENTERTAIN ANY QUESTIONS
YOU MIGHT HAVE. THANK YOU.
COMMISSIONER WILL HAVE QUESTIONS
AFTER THE SECOND PANELIST SPEAKS
MS MARY LOPEZ KEEPER. FROM THE
ATTORNEY GENERAL'S OFFICE
DIRECTOR AND YOU CAN INTERRUPT
ME. AMELIA HELLO, EVERYONE. GOOD
MORNING. MY NAME IS MARY LOPEZ
KIEFFER AND I AM THE DIRECTOR OF
THE OFFICE OF NATIVE AMERICAN
AFFAIRS FOR ATTORNEY GENERAL.
ROB BONTA, CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT
OF JUSTICE. THANK YOU, CHAIRMAN
RAMOS AND THE HONORABLE MEMBERS
OF THE SELECT COMMITTEE I NEED
OF AMERICAN AFFAIRS FOR INVITING
ME TO PARTICIPATE IN TODAY'S
HEARING. AS REQUESTED. I WILL
SHARE WITH YOU. A BRIEF SNAPSHOT
OF CALIFORNIA'S NATIVE AMERICAN
POPULATION. AND THEN UPDATE YOU
ON THE DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE IS
IMPLEMENTATION OF ASSEMBLY BILL
3099. UM THE FIRST BILL FIRST
LAW TO ADDRESS THE MISSING
MURDERED INDIGENOUS PERSONS
CRISIS HERE IN CALIFORNIA. I
ALSO AFFIRMED GENERAL VONTAZE
COMMITMENT TO WORKING IN
COLLABORATION AND COORDINATION
WITH OUR LOCAL STATE TRIBAL,
FEDERAL JUSTICE PARTNERS AND,
MOST IMPORTANTLY, WITH THE
SURVIVORS AND FAMILIES IMPACTED
BY LOVED ONES WHO HAVE GONE
MISSING. AND OR HAVE BECOME
VICTIMS OF HOMICIDE. SO IF I
COULD JUST DIRECT YOU TO BELIEVE
IN YOUR FOLDERS, THERE'S TWO
HANDOUTS. IT'S PRETTY BLUE MAPS
OF CALIFORNIA AND THEN BEHIND
YOU IN THE ROOM TO THE LEFT AND
THE RIGHT. THERE'S TWO MAPS, UM,
REFLECTING CALIFORNIA'S
POPULATION OF NATIVE AMERICANS.
CALIFORNIA IS HOME TO ONE OF THE
LARGEST POPULATIONS OF AMERICAN
INDIAN, ALASKA NATIVE PEOPLE,
ACCORDING TO THE 2022 U S CENSUS
BUREAU. THERE ARE AN ESTIMATED
1,114,000. AMERICAN INDIAN,
ALASKA NATIVES AND CALIFORNIA,
ACCOUNTING FOR APPROXIMATELY
2.9% OF THE STATE'S POPULATION.
THE TOP FIVE COUNTIES WITH THE
MOST AMERICAN INDIAN, ALASKA
NATIVE PERSONS ARE LOS ANGELES
RIVERSIDE, SAN BERNARDINO, SAN
DIEGO AND ORANGE COUNTY IS THE
TOP FIVE COUNTIES WITH THE
GREATEST PROPORTION OF AMERICAN
INDIAN ALASKAN PERSON. ALASKA
NATIVE PERSONS ARE ALPINE COUNTY
AT 26. OR ONE IN FOUR PEOPLE
IDENTIFYING AS AMERICAN INDIAN
ALASKA NATIVE INYO COUNTY AT 16%
DEL NORTE COUNTY AT 13% HUMBLED
COUNTY, 9% AND MENDOCINO COUNTY
9. THE GENDER DISTRIBUTION OF
THE AMERICAN INDIAN, ALASKA,
NATIVE POPULATION, AND
CALIFORNIA IS APPROXIMATELY
EQUAL, WITH BOTH MEN AND WOMEN
ACCOUNTING FOR AROUND 50% OF THE
POPULATION. IN ADDITION,
CALIFORNIA IS HOME TO
APPROXIMATELY 177, CALIFORNIA
NATIVE AMERICAN TRIBES
CONSISTING OF 109 FEDERALLY
RECOGNIZED TRIBES AND
APPROXIMATELY 68 NON FEDERALLY
RECOGNIZED TRIBES AND A LITTLE
OVER 100 INDIAN RESERVATIONS AND
RANCH AREAS. THAT NEIGHBOR 34 OF
OUR 58 COUNTY JURISDICTIONS. NOW
I'LL BRIEFLY SUMMARIZE A B 1399,
AUTHORED BY ASSEMBLYMEMBER'S
JAMES RAMOS AND SIGNED INTO LAW
BY GOVERNOR NEWSOM ON SEPTEMBER
25TH 2020. THE LAW ADDRESSED TO
LONG OVERDUE CONCERNS EXPRESSED
BY CALIFORNIA NATIVE AMERICAN
COMMUNITIES. THE FIRST WAS THE
NEED TO HAVE STATEWIDE
CONSISTENCY IN THE
IMPLEMENTATION OF PUBLIC LAW.
83-2 80, ALSO KNOWN AS P. L 280,
OR PUBLIC LAW, 280. THAT WAS THE
TRANSFER CRIMINAL JURISDICTION
ON INDIAN LANDS FROM THE FEDERAL
GOVERNMENT TO THE STATE. THE
SECOND WAS TO ADDRESS THE
GROWING CRISIS OF MISSING AND
MURDERED NATIVE AMERICAN PEOPLES
, PARTICULARLY WOMEN AND GIRLS
IN CALIFORNIA'S INDIAN COUNTRY
AND BROADER NATIVE AMERICAN
COMMUNITIES. I'M NOT GOING INTO
DETAIL ON THE SPECIFIC MANDATES
ENTRUSTED UPON THE DEPARTMENT OF
JUSTICE FOR A B 1399. BUT FOR
PURPOSES OF TODAY'S HEARING, UM
I'LL BE FOCUSING ON THE FINAL
MANDATE OF THAT LAW, WHICH WAS
TO CONDUCT A STUDY TO DETERMINE
THE SCOPE OF THE ISSUE OF
MISSING AND MURDERED NATIVE
AMERICANS IN CALIFORNIA.
IDENTIFYING BARRIERS TO
REPORTING AND ULTIMATELY ISSUING
RECOMMENDATIONS TO THE STATE
LEGISLATURE. AND THAT REPORT IS
DUE IN 2025. SO WHAT HAVE WE
BEEN DOING? UM THIS IS TO GIVE
YOU A AGAIN JUST TO SHARE WITH
YOU. SOME OF THE THINGS THAT THE
DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE HAS BEEN
DOING SINCE WE DID RECEIVE
FUNDING FROM THE LEGISLATURE TO
MAKE SURE THAT MAYBE 3099 WAS
BEING IMPLEMENTED. THE
DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE HAS
CONTINUED TO DIRECTLY ENGAGE
WITH CALIFORNIA'S TRAVEL
GOVERNMENTS, TRIBAL COMMUNITY
MEMBERS, TRAVEL ADVOCATES AND
SURVIVORS AND FAMILIES ABOUT
MAYBE 3099, IN ADDITION TO LOCAL
LAW ENFORCEMENT. AND STATE AND
FEDERAL JUSTICE PARTNERS. WE'VE
BEEN FOCUSING ON THE TRIBAL
COMMUNITIES AND THEN MY P
EXPERIENCES AND PUBLIC SAFETY
CONCERNS ON AND OFF INDIAN
LANDS. ATTORNEY GENERAL HAS
ISSUED. TWO SEPARATE INFORMATION
BULLETINS, UM, THAT PROVIDE OUR
JUSTICE PARTNERS WITH GUIDANCE
ON THE ENFORCEABILITY TRIBAL
COURT PROTECTION ORDERS IN
CALIFORNIA AND THE APPLICABILITY
OF CALIFORNIA'S CRIMINAL
TRESPASS LAWS ON INDIAN LANDS.
THESE WERE TWO SPECIFIC AREAS OF
CONCERN THAT WAS RAISED BY OUR
TROUBLE PARTNERS IN THE FIGHT
AGAINST MY P ALSO DURING 2022
2023, THE DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE,
PRIVATE PROVIDED CRITICAL
SUPPORT TO OUR FEDERAL JUSTICE
PARTNERS AT THE U. S ATTORNEY'S
OFFICE IN THEIR SOUTHERN,
CENTRAL AND NORTHERN DISTRICTS
IN THEIR EFFORTS TO SUCCESSFULLY
IMPLEMENT THE FEDERAL LAW KNOWN
AS THE SAVANNAS ACT. THAT ACT
ADDRESSES THE MM IP CHRIST ON A
NATIONWIDE BASIS AND INVOLVES
IMPROVING COMMUNICATIONS BETWEEN
ALL LEVELS OF LAW ENFORCEMENT.
IN APRIL OF 2023, THE DEPARTMENT
OF JUSTICE ISSUED AN UPDATED
NATIVE AMERICAN MARCIE'S LAW
INFORMATION CARD. THIS CARD
CONTAINS SPECIFIC SECTIONS OF
THE VICTIMS. BILL OF RIGHTS ACT
OF 2008 AND CONTAINS A Q R CODE
THAT ASSIST TRIBAL CITIZENS AND
LOCATING CULTURALLY APPROPRIATE
AND INFORMED SERVICES. AVAILABLE
TO THEM STATEWIDE. BY REGION AND
BY COUNTY THESE COMBINED
RESOURCES ARE THE FIRST OF THEIR
KIND FOR TRIBAL CITIZENS IN
CALIFORNIA. THE DEPARTMENT.
JUSTICE HAS ALSO LAUNCHED A
COMPREHENSIVE TRIBAL COMMUNITY
SURVEY TO DELVE DEEPER INTO THE
MM I P CRISIS IN CALIFORNIA,
FOCUSING SPECIFICALLY ON TRIBAL
COMMUNITY MEMBERS, AWARENESS AND
PERSONAL IMPACT OF THE CRISIS. A
SIGNIFICANT PORTION OF THIS
SURVEY IS DEDICATED TO
UNDERSTANDING THE COMMUNITY'S
PERCEPTION OF LAW ENFORCEMENT.
AS WELL AS THEIR EXPERIENCES
INVOLVING PUBLIC LAW 280 THE
PROCESSES ASSOCIATED WITH
REPORTING EMERGENCIES IN THEIR
COMMUNITIES. THE SURVEY ALSO
INVITES POLICY RECOMMENDATIONS
FROM THE RESPONDENTS SEEKING
THEIR INPUT ON POTENTIAL
SOLUTIONS AND LEGISLATIVE
CHANGES THAT WOULD BENEFIT THEIR
COMMUNITIES. THIS IS ACTIVELY
OCCURRING RIGHT NOW. AND THAT WE
WILL STILL BE, UM, DOING OUR
OUTREACH INTO THE SPRING TO
ENSURE A RICH AND DIVERSE
COLLECTION OF PERSPECTIVES
ENHANCING OUR UNDERSTANDING OF
THE CRISIS AND INFORMING OUR
FUTURE ACTIONS. WE HAVE ALSO
BEEN HOLDING MY PEE EVENTS. UM
IF SINCE 2023 CALLED MISSING IN
CALIFORNIA, INDIAN COUNTRY, UM
THESE ARE FIRST OF THEIR KIND
EVENTS THEY IMPART SERVE AS
CRITICAL MISSION CRITICAL PUBLIC
SAFETY EVENTS FOR TRAVEL
COMMUNITIES AND AIM TO ELEVATE
THE STATE'S RESPONSE TO THE
CRISIS. UM TWO EVENTS OCCURRED
IN 2023 AS I MENTIONED ONE IN
THE NORTHERN AND ONE IN THE
SOUTHERN REGION. UM AND AT THIS
TIME, I WOULD REALLY LIKE TO
EXPRESS OUR SINCERE GRATITUDE
FOR THE PARTNERSHIP IN BRINGING
THOSE EVENTS TOGETHER FROM THE
BLUE LAKE RANCHERIA, THE YUROK
TRIBAL POLICE DEPARTMENT, THE
HOOP, A VALLEY UM TRIBAL POLICE
DEPARTMENT, THE HUMBOLDT COUNTY
SHERIFF'S OFFICE AS WELL AS THE
RIVERSIDE COUNTY SHERIFF'S
OFFICE AND THE SYMBOL OF A BAND
OF LUCIANO INDIANS. THESE FIRST
OF THEIR KIND OF EVENTS ALLOWED
ME P SURVIVORS AND FAMILY
MEMBERS TO SHARE THEIR
EXPERIENCE. REPORT A LOVED ONE
MISSING RECEIVE AN UPDATE ON AN
ACTIVE MISSING PERSONS CASE AND
ALSO PROVIDE A DNA SAMPLE FOR
INCLUSION IN THE DEPARTMENT OF
JUSTICE IS UNIDENTIFIED PERSONS
DATABASE, A DATABASE THAT'S BEEN
CREATED TO HELP BRING CLOSURE.
FOR FAMILIES. THEY ALSO PROVIDE
THE OPPORTUNITY FOR COMMUNITIES
TO GET VITAL INFORMATION FROM
REGIONAL EXPERTS IN COMBATING
HUMAN TRAFFICKING AND LEARNING
ABOUT TRIBAL, LOCAL AND STATE
VICTIM SERVICES. THESE REGIONAL
EVENTS ARE DEVELOPED AND PLANNED
IN COLLABORATION WITH THE TRIBAL
GOVERNMENTS WITHIN THE RESPECTED
REGIONS TO BE MOST RESPONSIVE TO
THAT REGION'S TRIBAL COMMUNITIES
NEEDS AND EACH OCCUR ON TRIBAL
LAND. THIS PAST SUMMER, THE
DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE CO.
CONVENED AND MY P SYMPOSIUM. IN
COORDINATION WITH IN
COLLABORATION WITH THE NEW
MEXICO AND MY TASK FORCE. THIS
SYMPOSIUM INCLUDED THE RESEARCH
TEAMS AND SO NOW THE TASK FORCE,
BUT THE RESEARCH TEAMS, UM FROM
NEW MEXICO, NEBRASKA, WISCONSIN,
MINNESOTA, COLORADO, WASHINGTON
AND OURSELVES, UM, IT REALLY
FOCUSED ON THE INNER
DISCIPLINARY COLLABORATION INTER
AGENCY COLLABORATION. AND DATA,
TRANSPARENCY AND ACCURACY. WE
MADE A LOT OF FRIENDS TOO.
DURING 2022 23. THE DOJ
PARTICIPATED IN FEATHER ALERT
COMMUNITY AND LOCAL LAW
ENFORCEMENT GATHERINGS
THROUGHOUT THE STATE, HOSTED BY
ASSEMBLYMEMBER'S RAMOS IS OFFICE
. UM WE WERE WE WERE PRIVILEGED
AND HONORED TO JOIN YOU IN THOSE
GATHERINGS AND TO SHARE
IMPORTANT INFORMATION ON MISSING
PERSONS INVESTIGATIONS. UM THERE
WAS A LOT OF INFORMATION THAT WE
WERE ABLE TO SHARE WITH THE
COMMUNITY AND WE ALSO HEARD A
LOT OF INFORMATION. UM OR
MISINFORMATION ABOUT MISSING
PERSONS INVESTIGATIONS. WE'VE
TAKEN THAT INFORMATION AND WE'RE
WORKING WITH OUR PARTNERS AT THE
CALIFORNIA HIGHWAY PATROL, AND
WE'RE ALSO CREATING A MISSING IN
CALIFORNIA. F A Q. FREQUENTLY
ASKED QUESTIONS FOR NATIVE
AMERICAN TRIBES AND TRIBAL
CITIZENS TO ANSWER THOSE
QUESTIONS IN ONE LOCATION. UM
MOST IMPORTANTLY, AND IF I CAN
JUST LEAVE THIS WITH EVERYONE
TODAY, IF YOU BELIEVE SOME
YOU'RE SOMEONE YOU LOVE OR
SOMEONE YOU KNOW HAS GONE
MISSING. THERE IS NO WAIT,
PERIOD CALL 911 AND REPORT THEM
MISSING. TELEVISION WAS NOT A
GOOD TEACHER FOR US AND THAT WE
ALL HAVE MISCONCEPTIONS OF HOW
LONG YOU NEED TO WAIT. BUT AS
SOON AS YOU BELIEVE THEY'RE
MISSING. CALL 911. MOST
IMPORTANTLY, I'VE BEEN ASKED TO
SHARE WITH YOU TODAY. UM A
SUMMARY OF OUR SUCCESSES AND
CHALLENGES AND IMPLEMENTING A B
3099 SPECIFICALLY IN REGARDS TO
THE SURVEY. EXCUSE ME, THE
REPORT THAT WE ARE CREATING FOR
THE LEGISLATURE. SO THROUGHOUT
ALL THE EFFORTS I SHARED ABOUT
TODAY, THERE HAVE BEEN SUCCESSES
AND CHALLENGES AND FULFILLING
THE DUTIES. WE'VE BEEN
INTERESTED TO CARRY OUT. THE
SUCCESSES INCLUDE ONE
IDENTIFICATION OF EDUCATIONAL
AND TRAINING NEEDS FOR LAW
ENFORCEMENT. THIS ACHIEVEMENT IS
CRUCIAL TO ENSURING THAT LAW
ENFORCEMENT PERSONNEL ARE WELL
EQUIPPED TO RESPOND TO THE NEEDS
THE MM I P CRISIS PRESENTS
EFFECTIVELY AND SENSITIVELY
THROUGH TRAUMA INFORMED
POLICING. Tð GATHERING
RECOMMENDATIONS FROM TRIBAL
MEMBERS. WE ARE ACTIVELY
ENGAGING WITH TRIBAL LEADERS AND
TRIBAL COMMUNITY MEMBERS AND
COLLECTING THEIR VALUABLE
RECOMMENDATIONS AND INSIGHTS ON
HOW TO ADDRESS THE MM I P
CRISIS. THIS IS ONGOING AND IT
IS VITAL AND DEVELOPING AND
REFINING COMMUNITY CENTERED AND
CULTURALLY INFORMED PROCESSES.
NUMBER THREE COLLABORATION WITH
TRIBAL PARTNERS. THE DOJ HAS
ESTABLISHED STRONG
COLLABORATIONS WITH NUMEROUS
TRIBAL PARTNERS ACROSS THE STATE
. THESE PARTNERSHIPS HAVE BEEN
INSTRUMENTAL IN ENHANCING I'LL
OUR UNDERSTANDING OF THE CRISIS
AND ENSURING THAT OUR EFFORTS
ARE ALIGNED WITH THE NEEDS AND
PERSPECTIVES OF TRIBAL
COMMUNITIES. AND LASTLY FOUR
COMPREHENSIVE DATA COLLECTION
AND ANALYSIS THROUGH VARIOUS
METHODS SUCH AS SURVEYS,
INTERVIEWS, ONE ON ONE MEETINGS
AND FOCUS GROUPS. THE DOJ HAS
BEEN ABLE TO COLLECT AND ANALYZE
EXTENSIVE DATA ON THE M M I P
CRISIS. THIS INCLUDES GAINING
INSIGHT FROM SURVIVORS, FAMILY
MEMBERS, TRIBAL LEADERS AND
LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT.
CONTRIBUTING TO A RICH END OF
VERSE UNDERSTANDING OF THE
ISSUE. NOW TO THE CHALLENGES.
SOME OF THE CHALLENGES WE HAVE
ENCOUNTERED ARE THE FOLLOWING
ONE ACCURATE CASE COUNTING OUR
MM, I P RESEARCH TEAM IS
CURRENTLY IDENTIFYING AND
EVALUATING INTERNAL CALIFORNIA
DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE DATA
COLLECTED FROM LOCAL LAW
ENFORCEMENT, FOCUSING ON THE
REPORTING OF HOMICIDES AND
MISSING PERSONS. A SIGNIFICANT
PART OF OUR ANALYSIS IS
ADDRESSING THE CHALLENGE OF
ACCURATE CASE COUNTING. WHICH
INCLUDES THE POTENTIAL FOR UNDER
REPORTING. OR MISIDENTIFICATION
OF RACIAL DATA IN THESE CASES.
THIS COMPLEXITY IS FURTHER
COMPOUNDED BY THE CURRENT SYSTEM
LIMITATIONS WHERE THERE IS ONLY
ONE AVAILABLE SELECTION FOR THE
RACE OF THE MISSING PERSON IN
REPORTING. POTENTIALLY
OVERSIMPLIFYING OR
MISREPRESENTING MULTIRACIAL
IDENTITIES ACCURATELY
DETERMINING THE TOTAL NUMBER OF
HOMICIDE OR MISSING PERSON CASES
REMAINS A CHALLENGE, PRIMARILY
DUE TO POTENTIAL ISSUES OF
MISIDENTIFICATION AND UNDER
REPORTING. DELVING DEEPER INTO
THESE ASPECTS REQUIRES EXTENSIVE
CONVERSATIONS WITH BOTH LAW
ENFORCEMENT AND TRIBAL
COMMUNITIES. NUMBER TWO
INCONSISTENCIES IN DATA
PROTOCOLS, THE DOJ HAS
ENCOUNTERED CHALLENGES RELATED
TO INCONSISTENCIES AND DATA
COLLECTION AND REPORTING
PROTOCOLS ACROSS DIFFERENT
AGENCIES. FOR INSTANCE, WE ARE
EXAMINING THE ISSUE OF VARYING
PROTOCOLS FOR CLOSING MISSING
PERSON CASES AS THERE IS NO
STANDARDIZED PROCEDURE ACROSS
DIFFERENT AGENCIES IN THE STATE.
THIS LACK OF UNIFORMITY CAN LEAD
TO INCONSISTENCIES IN HOW CASES
ARE DOCUMENTED AND RESOLVED,
IMPACTING THE OVERALL OF
RELIABILITY. AND COMPARE ABILITY
OF DATA ACROSS JURISDICTIONS.
HARMONIZING THESE PROTOCOLS IS
ESSENTIAL FOR ENSURING ACCURATE
AND RELIABLE DATA. AND THREE
BUILDING TRUST FOR EFFECTIVE
DATA GATHERING ESTABLISHING
TRUST WITHIN TRIBAL COMMUNITIES
FOR EFFECTIVE DATA GATHERING AND
SHARING IS A CONTINUAL CHALLENGE
. THIS INVOLVES NOT ONLY
RESPECTING CULTURAL
SENSITIVITIES BUT ALSO
ADDRESSING HISTORICAL MISTRUST.
TOWARDS EXTERNAL ENTITIES IN
CLOSING THE CALIFORNIA
DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE REMAINS
COMMITTED TO THE SAFETY AND WELL
BEING OF TRIBAL PEOPLE AND THEIR
COMMUNITIES. WE ARE ENCOURAGED
BY THE SUCCESS IS ACHIEVED SO
FAR IN THE IMPLEMENTATION OF
MAYBE 3099 AND ARE CONFIDENT
THAT THROUGH OUR COLLABORATIVE
EFFORTS WITH ALL OF OUR PARTNERS
AND JUSTICE WE HAVE BUILT A
STRONG FOUNDATION FOR CONTINUED
PROGRESS. THANK YOU. NO, SEAN
NOVECK. MY HEART IS FULL. THANK
YOU SO MUCH TO THIS PANEL FOR
BRINGING FORWARD THAT VITAL
INFORMATION WE WANTED TO
RECOGNIZE ASSEMBLYMEMBER'S COREY
JACKSON, WHO'S JOINED US HERE
TODAY, AND ASSEMBLYMEMBER'S, UM
PILAR SZABO. AND IT WOULD YOU
HAVE ANY STATEMENTS? ANY
QUESTIONS? YEAH. GO AHEAD. TELL
HIM HI. GOOD MORNING. UM
APOLOGIES IF I KNOW I WAS LATE,
AND I MAY HAVE MISSED SOME OF
THIS, BUT UM, I WAS LOOKING
THROUGH THE PACKET, AND I SAW
THAT THERE WERE THREE REQUESTS.
UM THAT WE'RE NOT ACTIVATED FOR
A FEATHER ALERT, AND I DON'T
KNOW IF THIS WAS ALREADY
DISCUSSED BETWEEN YOU COULD JUST
IS THERE AN EXPLANATION OF WHY
OR WHAT HAPPENED THERE IN
GENERAL. THEY THE AGENCY THAT WE
WORK WITH THE LOCAL LAW
ENFORCEMENT WE'RE WORKING
THROUGH. THAT PROCESS SEEMS THE
CRITERIA IS MET. UM THEY DIDN'T
FEEL LIKE THE CRITERIA WAS
MEANT. SO THAT'S WHY THE ISSUE
WASN'T UM THE ALERT WASN'T
ISSUED. I HAVE READ THE CASES.
IT WOULD BE INAPPROPRIATE
BECAUSE OF HIPAA AND OTHER
THINGS FOR ME TO GET INTO THE
DETAILS AND THE FACTS OF THEM,
BUT IN SHORT, THAT'S WHY I'M
HAPPY TO TALK. OFFLINE ON MAYBE
SOME OF THE MORE DETAILS OF THEM
, BUT GENERALLY WITHOUT SHARING
ANY DETAILS. DO YOU THINK THOSE
WERE YOUR DECISION? I'M SORRY,
ARE ACCURATE DECISIONS IN THE
VALUE. I THINK TO BE HONEST. ONE
OF THEM I THOUGHT WAS A WOBBLER,
AND THAT DECISION WAS MADE WITH
CHP IN THE LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT
AGENCY AND PROBABLY COULD HAVE
WENT EITHER WAY. I KNOW THE
MESSAGE. I'M GONNA COMMUNICATE
BACK TO MY PEOPLE IS IN THOSE
CASES, I'D RATHER AIR ON THE
SIDE OF CAUTION RIGHT ISSUE THE
ALERT. BUT. YEAH THE OTHER ONES.
THE CRITERIA REALLY WERE THE
HANG UP COMES IN OR THE ONE THE
THRESHOLD THEY'RE TRYING TO MEET
IS SOME SPECIFIC ARTICLE FACTS
THAT OR EVIDENCE THAT THE PERSON
IS AT RISK ARE AT DANGER. AND
SOMETIMES THE THAT'S A THRESHOLD
THAT'S NOT BEING MET THROUGH
FACTS OR EVIDENCE. AND SO IS
THIS. THAT SEEMS LIKE UM A
LITTLE BIT OF WHAT YOU RAISED
AROUND IF SOMEONE'S MISSING CALL
911. BUT THEN THERE'S OTHER
INFORMATION THAT LIKE THEY HAVE
TO BE MISSING FOR SO LONG OR YOU
HAVE TO MEET THIS THRESHOLD, AND
IT CREATES CHALLENGES FOR YOU
KNOW PEOPLE TO BE ABLE TO GET
ACTION ON SOMETHING THAT THEY'RE
REALLY CONCERNED. ABOUT WHAT HOW
DO YOU KIND OF RESOLVED THAT? I
THINK THE ONES THAT AREN'T
MEETING THE THRESHOLD OR, UM,
THERE'S NO FACTUAL BASIS ON SOME
OF THESE. YOU KNOW, SOMETIMES
PEOPLE ARE NOBODY KNOWS THEIR
WHEREABOUTS. BUT THAT DOESN'T
MEAN THAT THE PERSON NECESSARILY
WANTS TO BE FOUND OR IS MISSING.
AND SO THERE'S SO MANY FACTORS
THAT GO INTO MAKING THOSE
DECISIONS. OBVIOUSLY THE AGE THE
MENTAL STATUS MEDICATIONS, SOME
DECISIONS, BUT ARE SO MANY
FACTORS THAT GO INTO IT. UM, BUT
REALLY, THAT'S THAT'S WHAT I
THINK WE'RE GETS DOWN TO THE
DETAILS, AND THAT'S WHERE THE
RUB IS. ARE WE ABLE TO
ARTICULATE THAT? THEY'RE AT
RISK. I MEAN, I AGREE WITH YOU
ON KIND OF AIRING ON AARON AND
ON THE SIDE OF CAUTION. UM I
WONDER IF IN THOSE INSTANCES
WHERE YOU KNOW IT DOESN'T QUITE
MEET THE THRESHOLD. IS THERE ANY
KIND OF FOLLOW UP BECAUSE
PROBABLY AS TIME GOES BY, THE
SITUATION BECOMES A LITTLE BIT
MORE CLEAR, FOR SURE. AND THANK
YOU FOR THE QUESTION BECAUSE I
THINK IT'S IMPORTANT. STAYED FOR
ME TO STATE THAT JUST BECAUSE
THEY DON'T MEET THE CRITERIA.
THE ALERT DOESN'T MEAN THAT WE
JUST WASH OUR HANDS OF THE CASE
AND PUT IT ASIDE. AND ONE CASE
IN PARTICULAR AGAIN, I GOT TO BE
CAREFUL TO SPECIFIC DETAILS
BECAUSE OF PEOPLE'S PRIVACY. BUT
ONE CASE IN PARTICULAR THE LOCAL
AGENCY INVOLVED DID NOT FEEL
THAT THE CRITERIA WE GOT WORD OF
THE CASE THROUGH OTHER MEANS.
AND UM, CONTACTED THE LOCAL
AGENCY AND AGREED THROUGH THE
FACTS THAT DIDN'T MEET THE
CRITERIA BUT STARTED TAKING
OTHER MEASURES TO IDENTIFY HIM.
SOME OF THOSE THINGS THAT WE'RE
ABLE TO DO IS JUST TRADITIONAL
POLICE WORK WE'RE ABLE TO TAP
INTO LPR LICENSE PLATE
RECOGNITION DATA IF WE HAVE
EVIDENCE AND TRY TO PIN DOWN A
LOCATION. IF CERTAIN IN CERTAIN
SITUATIONS WERE ABLE TO USE CELL
PHONE DATA AND IDENTIFY
LOCATIONS AND TRY TO TRACK
PEOPLE DOWN, AND SO I THINK IT'S
IMPORTANT TO STATE THAT YOU
KNOW, JUST BECAUSE AN ALERT IS
AN ISSUE DOESN'T MEAN THAT LAW
ENFORCEMENT IS NOT WORKING
ACTIVELY TO FIND THOSE PEOPLE
AND BRING RESOLUTION. AND DO WE
KNOW HOW MANY FOLKS I MEAN? HOW
MANY INDIGENOUS FOLKS OVER THE
LAST YEAR HAVE GONE MISSING, BUT
NOT REQUESTED A FURTHER ALERT
BECAUSE I WONDER IF THERE'S A
DISCONNECT BETWEEN PEOPLE EVEN
KNOWING THAT THIS IS AN OPTION
OUT THERE RIGHT THAT THEY CAN. I
DON'T KNOW THAT BECAUSE WE DON'T
KNOW RIGHT, BUT I THINK THAT'S
THE MAIN POINT OF OUR OUTREACH
EFFORT IS TO EDUCATE PEOPLE AND
TRAVEL COMMUNITIES ON WHAT
RESOURCES ARE THERE AND HOW WE
CAN BETTER SERVE THEM. SO IT
JUST WANT TO ASK QUESTIONS. IF
THAT'S OKAY, I KNOW YOU
MENTIONED. ONE OF THE CHALLENGES
WAS HOW THE, UM THE HOW THE
NOTICING HAS TO GO OUT AND
SOMETIMES HAS TO GO THROUGH A
CERTAIN AGENCIES FRESH CAN YOU
EXPLAIN A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT
THAT? AND WHAT THE ISSUE IS THAT
THE WAY THE STATUTE STRUCTURED
NOW IS WE'RE REQUIRED TO WORK
WITH LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT
AGENCY TO ISSUE THE ALERT, AND
THAT'S THE CRITICISM WE'VE SEEN
FROM SOME OF THE TRIBAL
COMMUNITIES IS THAT KIND OF
MIDDLEMAN. AND HOW DO WE IS
THERE A WAY TO WORK AROUND SOME
OF THAT FOR TRIBAL COMMUNITY HAS
TO BE ISSUED BY THE CHP IN THE
ALERT HAS TO BE ISSUED BY THE
CHP. THE WAY IT'S STRUCTURED. WE
HAVE THE TOOLS AND THE MECHANISM
TO DO THAT. BUT THE MIDDLEMAN IS
THAT LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT
AGENCY THAT THE REQUEST COMES
INTO SOME DO REALLY, REALLY
GOOD, AND I THINK UH, THIS IS
NOT MY OPINION. WHAT'S BEEN
EXPRESSED TO US IS THAT
SOMETIMES THAT MIDDLEMAN CREATES
ISSUES FOR IN THE PERSPECTIVE OF
TRIBAL COMMUNITIES, AND THERE'S
NOT A WAY TO GO DIRECT. WELL,
THE STATUTE RIGHT NOW REQUIRES
THE US TO WORK COLLABORATIVELY
WITH THE LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT
AGENCY. SO IS THERE A WAY YES,
BUT UNDER THE CURRENT STATUTE,
WE FEEL LIKE OKAY, OKAY. AND, UM
AND I WONDERED DIRECTOR LOPEZ
KEEFER. IF YOU COULD TALK A
LITTLE BIT ABOUT YOU SAID THAT
THE DELAY DATA COLLECTION AND
INFORMATION THAT YOU'RE GETTING
TO GET A BETTER PICTURE IS
HELPING. IS THERE ANY KIND OF
TOP LINES OF WHAT YOU'RE
LEARNING ABOUT? UM COMMON
THREADS ABOUT WHY PEOPLE ARE
MISSING OR YOU KNOW ANY KIND OF
LESSONS FROM THAT THAT WE CAN
LEARN. UM WE'RE HOPEFUL THAT THE
REPORT THAT WERE, UM, GOING TO
BE PROVIDING YOU. WILL HELP. AH!
PRESENT A CLEAR PICTURE AS TO
WHY, UM, MEMBERS OF THE TRIBAL
COMMUNITY MAY BE HESITANT TO
CALL 911. UM AND THAT IS JILLIAN
WITH UNDERSTANDING THE STATE'S
OWN ROLE. UM AND IN CREATING
THAT HESITATION, AND THAT'S MY
UNDERSTANDING THE HISTORICAL
TRAUMA, THE GENERATIONAL TRAUMA
THAT WAS CREATED BY THE STATE'S
ACTIONS. UM I KNOW YOU'RE GONNA
BE HEARING FROM TRIBAL LEADERS.
UM SHORTLY, AND THEY MAY BE IN A
BETTER POSITION TO SHARE THAT
WITH YOU AND EXPRESS THAT TO
YOU, BUT OUR WORK WILL BE
PRESENTING WILL HOPEFULLY BE
ABLE TO PRESENT THAT, UM. IN A
MANNER THAT MATCHES THE
RECOMMENDATIONS THAT WE WOULD BE
MAKING TO YOU. UM THERE'S A LOT
OF. WHEN WE PARTICIPATED IN
THOSE FEATHER ALERT GATHERINGS,
UM, HOSTED BY HIS SON, REMEMBER,
RAMOS. IT WAS AS IF A BURDEN WAS
BEING PUT ON THE TRIBES AND THE
TRIBAL COMMUNITY TO KNOW ABOUT
THIS ALERT SYSTEM, AND THIS IS A
TOOL FOR CALIFORNIA LAW
ENFORCEMENT. IT'S OUR
RESPONSIBILITY TO KNOW ABOUT THE
ALERT AND TO BE ABLE TO
COMMUNICATE. WHAT IS NEEDED TO
GET THE ALERT TO OUR TRIBAL
FAMILIES. UM BEING ABLE TO
ARTICULATE WHY SOMEONE'S IN
DANGER. IS VERY IS A COMPLICATED
MATTER THAT COULD BE INFORMED BY
UNDERSTANDING THE AGAIN THE
HISTORICAL TRAUMA THAT THAT
FAMILY MAY HAVE EXPERIENCED,
CONTRIBUTING TO WHY THEY ARE IN
DANGER. UM BUT AS FAR AS DATA IS
REQUIRED, WE'RE GOING TO BE ABLE
TO, UM THE ROSE SURVEYS AND THE
FOCUS GROUPS THAT WE ARE
PARTICIPATING. WE ARE ASKING
TRIBAL MEMBERS TO PARTICIPATE IN
IT IS GIVING QUANTITATIVE AND
QUALITATIVE DATA SO HOPEFULLY
THAT QUALITATIVE DATA WILL BE
ABLE TO INFORM UM, DIRECTLY AS.
TO WHY, UM FAMILY MEMBERS ARE
GOING MISSING THE DIFFERENT
CONTRIBUTING FACTORS TO THAT IT
IS NOT JUST IS NOT JUST A LAW
ENFORCEMENT ISSUE. THERE ARE
MANY OTHER, UM, PARTIES THAT
SHOULD BE INVOLVED IN AT THE
TABLE TO ADDRESS THIS CRISIS.
AND SO HOPEFULLY OUR REPORT WILL
BE ABLE TO SHARE THAT WITH YOU.
BETTER THAN I'M ABLE TO RIGHT
NOW. YEAH, THANK YOU. THANK YOU
FOR THAT. AND THANK YOU,
COMMISSIONER FOR YOUR TESTIMONY
AND THE AVAILABILITY TO LOOK AT
THOSE CRITICISMS, AND THAT'S
WHAT THIS HEARING IS MEANT TO DO
IS LOOK AT SOME OF THAT. SEE HOW
WE MOVE FORWARD WITH FEATHER
ALERT TO SEE HOW IT BETTER
SERVES SOME THE COMMUNITY AND
BETTER SERVICE. THE PURPOSE
THAT'S THERE. I WANT TO THANK
YOU FOR THAT. AND ALSO AND THANK
YOU FOR BRINGING UP PUBLIC LAW
280 AS AN AREA THAT STILL NEEDS
TO BE ADDRESSED AS FAR AS WHY
THERE'S UM AREAS THAT WE FEEL
THAT LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT DON'T
TRULY UNDERSTAND THAT ROLE WHEN
IT COMES TO TRIBAL, UM TRIBAL
LANDS AND ALSO WITH THE ATTORNEY
GENERAL'S OFFICE. I'M HEARING
THAT YOU'RE ON TRACK FOR BEING
ABLE TO PRESENT THAT, UM THOSE
FINDINGS HERE IN THE 2025
TIMELINE, AND SO THANK YOU FOR
THAT COMMITMENT, BUT ALSO, UM, I
WANT TO ASK, UM, IS VICTIMS
SERVICES, PART OF THAT OVERALL
STRUCTURE THAT WILL BE LOOKING
AT WHEN WE GET THE THAT REPORT
COMING BACK TO US, BECAUSE I
BELIEVE THAT JUST GOING THROUGH
THE FEATHER ALERT AND THINKING
ABOUT IT JUST LAST WEEK WE HAD A
FEATHER ALERT. UM IMPLEMENTED,
UM AND ONCE INDIAN COUNTRY GOT
THAT IT WAS SPREAD THROUGHOUT
DIFFERENT TRIBAL COMMUNITIES, UM
, ADDING TO MAKING SURE THAT
THAT PEOPLE KNEW ABOUT IT AND
THE INDIVIDUAL WAS FOUND IT WAS
BROUGHT BACK TO THE TRIBAL
GOVERNMENT. BUT BUT WE WANT TO
MAKE SURE THAT VICTIMS SERVICES
AND RESOURCES SOMEONE THAT'S
THERE TO WORK WITH SOMEBODY FOR
THAT MENTAL HEALTH COMPONENT OF
IT IS ALSO SOMETHING THAT'S
BEING AFFORDED COMING FROM FROM
COUNTY GOVERNMENT. WE KNOW THAT
THE COUNTY D A S AND THE STATE
HAVE THOSE TYPES OF MECHANISMS
THERE, SO WE WANT TO MAKE SURE
THAT THAT IS BRANCHING OVER INTO
TRIBAL COMMUNITIES. SO I WANNA
THANK YOU ALL FOR BEING HERE FOR
YOUR TESTIMONY AND THANK YOU AS
WE MOVE TO OUR NEXT PANEL. THANK
YOU. I ALSO WANT TO RECOGNIZE
ASSEMBLYMEMBER'S MATHIS FOR
JOINING US HERE. OUR NEXT PANEL
WILL BE TRIBAL PERSPECTIVE ON
IMPLEMENTATION OF FEATHER ALERT.
WE HAVE YOUR TRIBAL CHAIRMAN, JO
JAMES BEAR RIVER BAND OF RUNNER
VILLE RANCHERIA CHAIRWOMAN
JOSEPHINA FRANK. BUT CHARANGA
BAND OF MISSION, INDIANS COUNCIL
MEMBER AND COMMISSIONER AND
COMMISSION ON THE STATUS OF
WOMEN AND GIRLS, CATALINA
CHIKANE AND INDIGENOUS JUSTICE
FOUNDER AND PRESIDENT
MORNINGSTAR GOLLY. PLEASE COME
UP.
I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR TAKING
THE TIME TO BE HERE TO BRING
FORWARD UM, A VOICE THAT THAT
NEEDS TO BE HEARD DURING THESE
DIALOGUES. AND IF WE ARE TALKING
ABOUT MOVING FORWARD IN A
AMENDING, MAKING THINGS BETTER,
UM, THAT THIS IS THE VOICE THAT
THAT NEEDS TO BE HEARD. SO WE
CONTINUE TO WORK WITH YOU AND
HEAR FROM AND INTERESTED IN
HEARING FROM YOU AREAS THAT
WE'RE SUCCESSIVE BECAUSE WE KNOW
THERE WAS, UM TO ALERTS THAT
WERE ISSUED AND THOSE TWO WERE
BROUGHT BACK WERE FOUND, UM
SAFELY AND WE KNOW THAT THERE
WAS OTHERS THAT, UM, WE'RE ASKED
TO BE ENTERED INTO A FEATHER
ALERT INTRODUCTION. BUT THEN
LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT THE WAY
THAT THE BILL, UM WORKS IS THAT
YOU CALL 911 AND LOCAL LAW
ENFORCEMENT COMES IN. AND I
THINK, AND YOU WILL ALLUDE TO IT
THAT AT THAT POINT WHERE IS THE
RESPONSIBILITY OF THE INDIVIDUAL
TO SAY THAT THERE, UM, NATIVE
AMERICANS SO THAT THEY KNOW THAT
THAT THAT SECOND STEP ARSENAL
ZERO AVAILABLE FOR LAW
ENFORCEMENT, BUT THEN DOES LAW
ENFORCEMENT. THE LOCAL
JURISDICTIONS UNDERSTAND THAT
THAT THERE'S A COMPONENT NOW FOR
THAT? AND SO WE WANT TO WORK
THROUGH THAT ON THE BILL IS
DESIGNED TO HAVE UH, SPEEDY
RESPONSE WHEN A 911 CALL COMES
IN LOCAL JURISDICTIONS RESPOND.
THEY'RE THE FIRST ONES ON THE
SCENE TO LOOK AT THOSE ISSUES.
AND SO WE WANT TO BETTER
UNDERSTAND THAT AND HOW TO AGAIN
MOVE FORWARD TO ENSURE THAT A
PIECE OF LEGISLATION THAT'S
DESIGNED TO WORK AND PROTECT
NATIVE AMERICANS HERE IN THE
STATE OF CALIFORNIA IS DOING
JUST THAT. SO WE'RE GOING TO
START WITH CHAIRMAN JO JAMES
FROM THE YUROK TRIBE. GOOD
MORNING. EQUI NECK NOW, GEORGE
JAMES, YOUR TRAVEL CHAIRMAN.
COME FROM THE VILLAGE OF SRI
GONE LOCATED ON THE CLIMATE
RIVER. TALK ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE
OF THE FEDERAL ER FROM THE
TRAVEL LEADER SUSPECTED THE
SUCCESS THE CHALLENGES. ISSUES
I'LL START FOR AGAIN AS I
MENTIONED IN THE PRESS RELEASE
HONOR HERE TO BE HERE TODAY. I
ALWAYS THINK ABOUT THIS PLACE.
LOOK BACK 2030 4050 YEARS AGO. I
THANK YOU. SOME OF THE RAMOS AND
YOUR COLLEAGUES. I THINK THE
SHERIFF'S FOR BEING IN THIS. WE
WANT TO SIT BEHIND YOU. I THINK
ABOUT 2030 4050 YEARS TALKING
ABOUT THIS TOPIC. AND UH, HOW
FAR WE HAVE COME AS A WHOLE. I
LIKE THE DIALOGUE OF 2024
BUILDING BRIDGES WORKING
TOGETHER WE NEED TO WE NEED TO
CONTINUE TO DO THAT. UM THE
FEATHER ALERT IS A KEY PART. UH
EVEN MY P, BUT IT'S JUST A TOOL.
IT'S ONE OF RESOURCES. UM, THAT
IS NEEDED. I MENTIONED EARLIER
IN OUR PRESS, A PRESS RELEASE
THAT ARE WE JUST GOT OUT OF THE
FEATHER ALERT OF A EUROPE
TROUBLED CITIZEN, UM IT'S A
TRIBAL LEADER. AH SOMETIMES YOU
KNOW THAT FAMILY SOMETIMES YOU
KNOW YOU DON'T BUT YOU CARRY
THAT BURDEN. AND THAT HISTORY
WHO WE ARE AS PEOPLE INDIGENOUS
PEOPLE. NOBODY IN THIS ROOM
PLAYED IN THAT PART. TO THE
HISTORY OF US OF HOW WE WERE.
MISTREATED. HOW WE WERE TRYING
TO BE WIPED OFF OF OUR IDENTITY.
HOW WILL YOU TRY TO BE DEFEATED?
WE'RE STILL HERE. BUT IT'S
IMPORTANT. TO KNOW EVERYBODY
THAT TRAUMA STILL EXIST. AND WE
STILL PACKET WITH US TODAY UNTIL
THINGS ARE MADE. OF SUCCESS IN
MM I. P IS ONE OF THAT IS
WORKING US TOGETHER? THIS WE'RE
SAYING NO MORE. BUT AGAIN AS A
IT'S IMPORTANT AND IT'S STILL
GONNA BE WITH US AS AS BOARDING
SCHOOLS AS A TO WIPE OUR
LANGUAGE, OUR IDENTITY AS I
MENTIONED. MM I P IS NOT NEW.
IT'S BEEN HERE. FOR DECADES FOR
YEARS. I'M VERY PROUD TO BE IN
THIS ROOM. I'M VERY PROUD TO
WORK WITH OUR BROTHERS AND
SISTERS FROM STATE GOVERNMENT.
FROM LAW ENFORCEMENT. TO MAKE
THAT CHANGE. TO BE PART OF THAT
CHANGED. BECAUSE YOU HAVE A LOT
OF PEOPLE. AS A SISTER MENTIONED
HER PRESSURE LEAST THE PEOPLE
THAT ARE GONE. THEY DON'T HAVE
THAT VOICE. THEY DON'T HAVE THAT
CLOSURE. WE'RE DOING OUR PART.
AS A TRIBAL LEADER AS A
GOVERNMENT AS A COMMUNITY AS AN
ACTIVIST AS AN ORGANIZATION.
THAT'S THE WEIGHT AND THE BURDEN
THAT WE ALL TAKE. YOU HAVE TO
CARRY. YOU KNOW, SO YOU
MENTIONED THERE'S. IT'S NOT
ENOUGH STATES HAVE IN MY P.
WE'RE GOING TO SPEAK ABOUT
CALIFORNIA. AND HOW WE ARE
LEADING EXAMPLE AND MAKING THAT
CHANGE. YOU KNOW, I LET ME READ
THE FEATHER ALERT CRITERIA THERE
. THERE'S FIVE OF THEM. YOU
KNOW, I WON'T HIT ALL OF THEM,
BUT THERE IS FIVE. THE MISSING
PERSON. MISSING PERSON IS NEEDED
WOMEN OR INDIGENOUS PERSON. WHEN
YOU'RE READING THAT FROM LAW
ENFORCEMENT, THAT'S A CRITERIA.
AND UNDERSTAND THAT AND I GET
THAT. BUT FOR ME WHEN I READ
THAT. HOW WE GOT HERE AND
CREATING THIS BILL IN THIS LOT.
AND THE GENERATIONAL TRAUMA. THE
HAS TO BE PUT ON THE TABLE. THAT
WOMAN IS NOT MISSING. THAT CHILD
IS NOT MISSING. SHE IS MISSING.
BUT WHEN I READ THAT CRITERIA
WHETHER I'M A DISPATCHER,
WHETHER I MAKE LAW ENFORCED CHP
THE SHERIFFS. AGENCY. THE INTENT
OF HOW WE GOT HERE. HOW
CHALLENGING COLLECTIVE QUITE A
WHOLE WEEK CAME TOGETHER TO PASS
A FEATHER ALERT. WE'RE ONLY 443
OR FOUR STATES IN THE WHOLE
UNITED STATES. AND THE HOLY
KNIGHTED STATES. MURDER A BIG
CORN. IF YOU GET A CHANCE, WATCH
IT TO MONTANA. IF THERE IS NOT
AN AMBER ALERT FEDERER IN THAT
STATE THAT IS WRONG. AND I TIE
THAT BACK TO THE SETTING WHEN
YOU'RE READING THAT CRITERIA AND
RECEIVING THAT. I KNOW THERE'S
SPACE THAT WE WORK IN TRIBAL
GOVERNMENT. STATE OF CALIFORNIA
LAW ENFORCE. I GET THAT
UNDERSTAND THAT, BUT WHEN YOU'RE
RECEIVING THAT AND LOOKING AT
THAT CRITERIA. YOU'RE PACKING
MORE THAN THAT CRITERIA AND HOW
IT GOT HERE WITH THAT LAW. YOU
KNOW, WE WE'VE HAD A MISSING
TRIBAL MEMBER. UM IN THE BAY
AREA. I HAVE A GREAT WORKING
RELATIONSHIP. WHETHER SHERIFF HE
CAN CALL ME I CAN CALL HIM.
WITHIN HUMBLE COUNTY. I CANNOT
SPEAK FOR OTHER COUNTIES. I
CAN'T SPEAK. OTHER TRIBES WOULD
HAVE GREAT WORLD WITH OTHER
KENNEDY OR NOT. BUT WE CAN'T BE
CAUGHT IN THE MIDDLE. OF CHP AND
A TRIBE. I KNOW OUR COUNTY WORK
TOGETHER WITH US. BUT I'M NOT
GOING TO TAKE. THAT'S ACROSS THE
BOARD WITHOUT CALIFORNIA
COUNTIES. AH, SUMMER REMEMBER?
PILAR. WAS HITTING IT ON THE
HEAD. WHY. HAVE THOSE
INDIVIDUALS GOT DENIED. THE
LOCAL AGENCY DENIED IT. WE AS
EUROPE TRIBE SUBMITTED THAT.
BACK AT HOME WITH OUR MMP
INVESTIGATOR. SO I THINK THERE
NEEDS TO BE. I KNOW WE HAVE WE
HAVE LAYERS ON S. C H P AND
WE'RE ALL IN THIS TOGETHER.
WE'RE ALL IN THIS TOGETHER TO
BUILD IT TO MAKE THAT CHANGE.
BUT I'M NOT GOING TO TAKE
HANDSHAKE OR CALL. I DON'T WORK
WITH OTHER COUNTIES. I KNOW WE
WORK TOGETHER. THAT'S NOT ACROSS
THE BOARD. AND SO THAT'S A GAP.
UM, WE'VE GOT TO ADDRESS WHETHER
IT'S MAKING AN AMENDMENT.
WORKING WITH THE COUNTIES ARE
ALSO TRIES FILING DIRECTLY WITH
CHP. AND THIS IS NOT TAKING AWAY
ANYTHING WITH US AT HOME. I'M
LOOKING AT US ACROSS THE BOARD
AND I'M LOOKING AT THIS BAY AREA
SITUATION. BECAUSE THERE'S GONNA
BE ANOTHER INSTANCES LIKE THAT,
UNFORTUNATELY, DOWN THE ROAD
THAT'S GOING TO FALL OUTSIDE OF
HUMBLED AND DOWN AT COUNTY, THE
TRAVEL CITIZENS THAT I'VE GOT TO
WORRY AND WORK ABOUT. RIGHT
SORRY. SORRY. BRING THAT
FORWARD. UM I THINK THERE NEEDS
TO BE, UH CONTINUE THE GREAT
WORK THE TRAINING EDUCATION. UM
THE CULTURE. HOW WE GOT HERE ARE
THEIR FEATHER ALERT. AH! THE
INTENT OF IT. AND SO AGAIN AS A
I LOOK FORWARD TO CONTINUE
WORKING WITH, UH YOURSELF. RAMOS
MR MATHIS AND ALL THE OTHER
COLLEAGUES GREAT WORK VERY
PROUD. WHAT THE SAME TIME WE
CAN'T WE CAUGHT IN THE MIDDLE
BECAUSE THE LOCAL N C. DIDN'T
DETERMINE WHERE ELIGIBLE FOR A
FEATHER ALERT AND AGAIN WHEN I
THINK OF FEATHER ALERT. LOOK AT
ALL THE TESTIMONY. THE TRAUMA
THE. THE IDENTITY OR CHILDREN
GONE. THAT'S GOT TO COME TO A
FACTOR INTO THIS. AND SO AGAIN
IS A I THINK THERE SHOULD BE
MORE ARE CONTINUE THAT TRAINING.
THROUGHOUT THE COUNTIES
THROUGHOUT CALIFORNIA. I THINK
WE NEED TO BE MORE PROACTIVE. UM
ON THE LOCAL LEVEL FRUIT.
THROUGHOUT COUNTIES AND IN
CALIFORNIA AND AGAIN AS A VERY
PROUD AND HONORED TO BE WITH THE
SHERIFF HERE TODAY, YOUR YOUR
STATEMENT WITHOUT SAYING THINGS
SAYS A LOT. AH WE NEED MORE OF
YOUR COLLEAGUES, UM, ON THE
FRONT LINES. AND THEY PROBABLY
ARE. BUT WHERE WE ARE WE'VE GOT
TO MOVE FORWARD AS A WHOLE AS A
GROUP AND BEING IN THE ROOM. AND
LEAD BY EXAMPLE, UH, SAYS A LOT
AND IT'S GOING TO CONTINUE TO
BUILD GRAB. BRIDGES IT'S GOING
TO CONTINUE TO BUILD TRUST. UM.
SO THANK YOU FOR THIS. THIS
TESTIMONY SIMILAR, RAMOS. THANK
YOU, CHAIRMAN FOR THAT TESTIMONY
AND ENLIGHTENING. AREAS INTO THE
FEATHER ALERT. AND IT'S TRUE
WHEN, JUST LIKE THE PRESS
CONFERENCE, AND EVEN THE TERM
FEATHER ALERT CARRIES SO MUCH
MORE SO MUCH WEIGHT FOR OUR
PEOPLE. THAT'S WHY WE'RE HERE
TODAY, BUILDING ALLIES AND
COLLABORATION TO START TO
FINALLY ADDRESS THE ISSUE AND
BRINGING RELATIONSHIP BUILDING
TO THE TABLE. THANK YOU SO MUCH
FOR THAT. OUR NEXT SPEAKER FROM
BEAR RIVER BAND OF THE RUNNER
VILLE RANCHERIA CHAIRWOMAN
JOSEPHINA FRANK. GOOD MORNING.
MY NAME IS JOSEPHINE AND FRANK
GAME. THE TRIBAL CHAIRWOMAN
FORBEAR OF IRAN, SHARIA OR
LOCATED IN HUMBOLDT COUNTY. UM
AGAIN. I WANTED I WANT TO THANK
YOU FOR ALLOWING ME THE
OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK HERE TODAY
AND FOR ALL THE TRIBAL LEADERS
AND LAW ENFORCEMENT IN THE ROOM
THAT ARE DOING ALL OF THAT,
BEHIND THE SCENES WORK TO MAKE
SURE OUR PEOPLE ARE SAFE. I
APOLOGIZE IN ADVANCE. IF WHAT I
SAY TODAY IS ALL OVER THE PLACE,
BUT IT WILL TIE TIE TOGETHER AT
THE END. MY CONCERN IS A TRIBAL
LEADER IS THE RELATIONSHIP WITH
THAT? WE HAD. WITH OUR WITH OUR
SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT AND OUR
OFFICERS AND NOT NOT NECESSARILY
BE THE SHERIFF. AND SO WHEN I
LOOK AT THE CRITERIA FOR THE
FEATHER ALERT MUST BE A MISSING
PERSON. AN INDIGENOUS ARE A
MISSING PERSON WHO IS AN
INDIGENOUS WOMAN OR INDIGENOUS
PERSON. AND THEN THE
INVESTIGATING LAW ENFORCEMENT
AGENCY HAS UTILIZED AVAILABLE
LOCAL AND TRIBAL RESOURCES. WHEN
I READ THAT I SEE THAT AS BEING
THE STOP. FOR TRIBAL MEMBERS.
BECAUSE THOSE RELATIONSHIPS HAVE
NOT BEEN BUILT. WITH OUR TRIBAL
MEMBERSHIP. AND LOCAL LAW
ENFORCEMENT OUTSIDE OF OUR
TRIBAL POLICE. I'M VERY THANKFUL
FOR OUR TRIBAL POLICE DEPARTMENT
BECAUSE THEY HAVE BUILT, UH
GREAT REPORT WITH MEMBERSHIP. SO
OUR MEMBERS FEEL COMFORTABLE
GOING AND SPEAKING TO THEM WHEN
THINGS HAPPEN ON THE RANCH AREA.
WHETHER THAT BE SOMETHING OF A
OF A SMALL NATURE OR A LARGER
EVENT IF THEY WERE HURT OR THE
VICTIM OF CRIME. OUR MEMBERS
FEEL COMFORTABLE TALKING TO
THEM. SO WHAT HAS HAPPENED
HISTORICALLY. IS WHEN THOSE
EVENTS HAPPEN, IF THERE IS AN
INCIDENT OF VIOLENCE. TRIBAL
POLICE ARE CALLED TO THE
MEMBER'S HOME. THEY SPEAK WITH
THE TRIBAL MEMBER AND THEIR
FAMILY. THEY TAKE THE REPORTS.
AND BECAUSE WE ARE APPEALED TO
80, OUR SHERIFF'S, UM, THE
SHERIFF'S OFFICE IS CALLED OUT
AND IT'S NOT THE SHERIFF HIMSELF
THAT COMES OUT, BUT IT'S THE
OFFICERS UNDERNEATH HIM. WHEN
THEY COME OUT. IT IS THE
EXPECTATION THAT THEY ASK THE
VICTIM AGAIN. WHAT HAPPENED? AT
THAT POINT IN TIME NOT TAKING
INTO CONSIDERATION. ALL THE
TRAUMA THAT THAT PERSON HAS JUST
GONE THROUGH AND EVERYTHING ALSO
, TRIBAL NATIONS HAVE GONE
THROUGH. YOU'RE ASKING SOMEONE
TO RELIVE THE TRAUMA. TO APPEASE
THE PAPERWORK THAT YOU MUST
COMPLETE BECAUSE THE OFFICERS
THAT RESPOND DON'T WANT TO
ACCEPT OUR TRIBAL OFFICERS,
DOCUMENTATION. SO I DIDN'T COME
HERE TODAY TO. TO CAUSE UPSET TO
ANYONE, BUT I ALSO DIDN'T COME
HERE TODAY TO SUGARCOAT STUFF.
SO THOSE ARE THINGS THAT WE'VE
SEEN. AND WHEN THAT HAPPENS, AND
NO REPORTS ARE MADE, AND NO
ARRESTS ARE MADE. THAT
INDIVIDUAL WHO CAUSED HARM
AGAINST SOMEONE EITHER GETS TO
REMAIN IN THE HOME. OR THEY ARE
DETAINED AND THEY'RE DRIVEN DOWN
THE STREET OFF TRIBAL PROPERTY.
BUT THEN THEY COME BACK, AND
THEN THERE'S RETRIBUTION TO THE
PERSON THAT REPORTED THE
VIOLENCE. AND THERE LIES ANOTHER
MURDER VICTIM. OR ANOTHER FEMALE
OR CHILD WHO'S GOING TO COME UP
MISSING? SO WE HAVE THE ABILITY
TO ADDRESS THOSE IMMEDIATELY SO
THAT WE DON'T HAVE TO UTILIZE.
THE FEATHER ALERT, BUT THERE HAS
TO BE A COLLABORATION BETWEEN
ALL OF THE TRIBES. AND I SPOKE
TO CHAIRMAN JAMES. WELL GO AND I
WAS SADDENED THAT BEAR RIVER HAS
NOT BEEN A PART OF EVERYTHING
THAT'S HAPPENED UP UNTIL THIS
POINT. AND THE WORK THAT'S BEEN
DONE. WHEN IT AFFECTS US, TOO. I
GOT A CALL LAST WEEKEND. I
BELIEVE FROM OUR OUR CHIEF
ASKING IF MY KIDS KNEW THE YOUNG
GIRL FROM EUROPE THAT WAS
MISSING. YOU KNOW, SO LIKE I HAD
MENTIONED IN THE PRESS
CONFERENCE, ALL OVER COMMUNITIES
ARE INTERTWINED. ALL OVER PEOPLE
ARE RELATED WHETHER THAT'S
NORTHERN CALIFORNIA, SOUTHERN
CALIFORNIA, NEVADA WASHINGTON,
OREGON. AND WE ALL SPEAK TO ONE
ANOTHER. AND IT'S VERY
FRUSTRATING TO SEE THE CRITERIA
THAT'S LISTED HERE. WHEN THE
BIGGEST PIECE OF THAT THE TRUST
PEACE IS NOT THERE. AND I DO
AGREE WITH CHAIRMAN JAMES.
SUGGESTION OF THE DIRECT FILING
WITH CHP. I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT
THAT WE IN THAT TRIBES HAVE AN
AVENUE TO REPORT THAT AND NOT
LEAVE IT INTO THE HANDS OF
SOMEONE. WHO DOESN'T KNOW THE
COMMUNITY WHO DOESN'T KNOW THE
FAMILIES THAT HAVE BEEN
AFFECTED. YES. EVERYTHING THAT
HAS TO DO WITH MM I P AND BUSSES
INDIGENOUS PEOPLES. IT'S VERY
IMPORTANT AND I'M VERY THANKFUL
THAT EVERYONE IN THIS ROOM AND
OUTSIDE OF THIS ROOM IS TALKING
ABOUT IT AND WORKING. AND DOING
THEIR DUE DILIGENCE TO MAKE SURE
THAT ALL OF OUR FAMILIES AND
TRIBAL MEMBERS ARE SAFE. BUT
THERE HAS TO BE IT HAS TO BE
SOMETHING ELSE. THIS HAS TO BE
LOOKED AT, SO THAT IT TRIBAL
MEMBERS CAN CAN UTILIZE THIS
WHEN IT'S NEEDED, AND IT'S NOT
LEFT UP TO THE DISCRETION OF
SOMEONE ELSE. IF THEY IF THEY
DETERMINE THAT IT'S AN EMERGENCY
OR IF THEY DETERMINE THAT ALL OF
THE CRITERIA IS MET IF WE AS A
FAMILY FEEL THAT ONE OF OUR
FAMILY MEMBERS ARE TRIBAL
MEMBERS HAVE HAD SOMETHING
HAPPENED TO THEM. THAT SHOULD
MEAN SOMETHING. A FEW MONTHS AGO
, WE HAD A PHONE CALL OF
VOICEMAIL LEFT ON OUR OFFICE
PHONE. FROM A TRIBAL MEMBER WHO
WAS AT A NEIGHBORING
RESERVATION. IT WAS LEFT ON THE
SATURDAY NO ONE GOT IT UNTIL
MONDAY. BUT THAT WAS THE ONLY
NUMBER SHE KNEW. WAS THE TRIBAL
OFFICE AND BECAUSE THERE'S NO
RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN OUR TRIBAL
MEMBERS AND OUR LOCAL LAW
ENFORCEMENT OUTSIDE OF TRIBAL
POLICE. THEY'RE NOT GONNA CALL
THEY'RE NOT GOING TO REPORT SO
HOW DO WE BUILD? HOW DO WE FIX
THAT? SO THAT THOSE
RELATIONSHIPS START TO FORM.
CHAIRWOMAN EARLIER SPOKE ABOUT
THE WRAPAROUND SERVICES. AND
THOSE ARE EXTREMELY IMPORTANT.
BECAUSE WE SEND THESE ALERTS GO
OUT. I PRAY THAT ALL EVERY TIME
AN ALERT GOES OUT THAT THE
FAMILY MEMBER IS FOUND AND TAKEN
HOME AND THAT THEY'RE OKAY. BUT
THE EFFECT OF THAT PERSON
MISSING IS STILL THERE. THAT
TRAUMA IS STILL THERE, AND WE'RE
NOT DOING ANYTHING TO ENSURE
THAT THE COMMUNITY IS OKAY IN
THEIR ABSENCE. AND OKAY WHEN
THEY RETURN HOME, THAT'S THE
PROBLEM. SO I ASKED WHEN, WHEN
YOU HAVE THIS HEARING, AND YOU
LISTEN TO ALL OF THE TESTIMONY
THAT ALL OF THESE ITEMS ARE
TAKEN BACK, AND THEY'RE
REVIEWED. I WAS SPEAKING TO
SHERIFF CONSOLE EARLIER, AND WE
HAD A MEETING WITH FEDERAL
PARTNERS IN NORTHERN CALIFORNIA.
LAST WEEK. AND A LOT OF THE
ITEMS THAT WERE BEING DISCUSSED
LAST WEEK. WE'RE THE SAME ITEMS
THAT WERE TALKED ABOUT A YEAR
AGO. I UNDERSTAND THINGS. MOVE
SLOW, BUT I THINK THINGS MOVE
TOO SLOW. AND THERE HAS TO BE A
BIGGER PUSH TO GET ALL OF THESE
ITEMS WORKING WORKING TOGETHER.
THERE'S SO MANY MOVING PARTS.
BUT I PERSONALLY FEEL THAT FOR
MYSELF. I DON'T WANT THE LIP
SERVICE ANYMORE. AND PERHAPS
MANY OTHER TRIBES AND TRIBAL
LEADERS FEEL THE SAME WAY.
RETIRED OF HEARING THE SAME
THING OVER AND OR WILL WE WILL
WORK ON THESE THINGS WILL FIX
THESE THINGS. AND I'M EXTREMELY
GRATEFUL TO YOU FOR BRINGING
THIS BACK TO THE TABLE YEAR
LATER TO SEE WHAT WAS WORKING
AND WHAT IS NOT WORKING. SO I'VE
EXPRESSED TO YOU WHAT I FEEL IS
NOT WORKING. I APPRECIATE THE
TIME TODAY. THANK YOU. THANK YOU
SO MUCH FOR THAT VITAL INPUT.
INTO THE TOPIC AND THOUGHTS OF
MOVING FORWARD. NEXT WE HAVE
PECHANGA BAND, A MISSION,
INDIANS COUNCIL MEMBER AND
COMMISSIONER. UM STATUS OF WOMEN
AND GIRLS, CATALINA CHIKANE.
MAYOR YOUNG. NO TOÀN CAROLINA
CHICK OAN. GOOD MORNING. MY
NAME IS CATALINA CONE. AND I'M A
CHANDA TRIBAL COUNCIL WOMAN FOR
THE PECHANGA BAND OF INDIANS IN
SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA. I ALSO SIT
ON THE COMMISSION ON THE STATUS
OF WOMEN AND GIRLS. I AM THE
VICE CHAIR OF THE TASSAN GROUP
AS WELL. AND I ALSO SAID AS A
VICE CHAIR FOR THE CALIFORNIA
TRIBAL FAMILIES COALITION. I
WERE MARRIED MANY HATS BECAUSE I
WANT TO REPRESENT MY TRIBE THE
BEST I CAN, AND I'M HERE TO
SERVE THEM. THANK YOU FOR THE
OPPORTUNITY TO SHARE SOME
PERSPECTIVES WITH YOU ABOUT THE
FEATHER ALERT AND SUGGESTIONS I
HAVE FOR AN IMPROVEMENT. FIRST
LET ME SAY THAT THE PASSAGE OF A
B 1314 WAS A SIGNIFICANT STEP
FORWARD AND PROVIDING TRIBAL
GOVERNMENTS WITH THE NECESSARY
TOOL TO HELP LOCATE AND PROTECT
OUR MISSING NATIVE YOUTH.
FORTUNATELY OUR TRIBE HAS ONLY
HAD TO USE THE FEATHER ALERT
ONCE, BUT WE WERE QUITE
FRUSTRATED WITH THE LACK OF
RESPONSIVENESS BY THE CHP. LAST
JULY ARE PECHANGA FAMILY AND
CHILD SERVICES REPORTED A 14
YEAR OLD PECHANGA YOUTH MISSING.
WHO WAS UNDER THE JURISDICTION
OF OUR PECHANGA COURT. SHE WAS
MISSING FROM HER HOME. HER
PARENTS HAD ORIGINALLY REPORTED
HER AS A RUNAWAY. THERE WERE
ALSO REPORTINGS OF HER IN THE
FRESNO AREA, WHICH IS ABOUT 300
MILES NORTH OF PECHANGA. TO
FURTHER COMPOUND. THIS ISSUE
THEY USED HAD A HISTORY OF
MENTAL HEALTH AND SUBSTANCE
ABUSE IS SHOES. GIVEN THE
CONCERN FOR HER SAFETY. OUR
PECHANGA TRIBAL RANGE ALS AND
OUR CHILD AND FAMILY SERVICES
DEPARTMENT FOLLOWED THE PROTOCOL
FOR THE FEATHER ALERT AS
OUTLINED IN THE CALIFORNIA
GOVERNMENT CODE SECTION,
8594.13. CHILD AND FAMILY
SERVICES, REPORTED THE MISSING
MINER TO THE TRIBAL RANGERS ARE
TRIBAL LAW ENFORCEMENT WHO THEN
CONTACTED LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT,
THE RIVERSIDE COUNTY SHERIFF'S
OFFICE TO ACTIVATE A FEATHER
ALERT. THE FOLLOWING CRITERIA
MUST BE MET, WHICH WAS MENTIONED
NUMBER ONE. THE MISSING PERSON
IS AN INDIGENOUS WOMAN OR
INDIGENOUS PERSON. NUMBER TWO.
THE INVESTIGATIVE LAW
ENFORCEMENT AGENCY HAS UTILIZED
ALL AVAILABLE LOCAL AND TRIBAL
RESOURCES NUMBER THREE. THE LAW
ENFORCEMENT AGENCY DETERMINES
THAT THE PERSON HAS GONE MISSING
UNDER AND EXPLAINS OF
UNEXPLAINABLE OR SUSPICIOUS
CIRCUMSTANCES. NUMBER FOUR. THE
LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCY BELIEVES
THAT THE PERSON IS IN DANGER AND
NUMBER FIVE. THERE IS
INFORMATION AVAILABLE THAT, IF
DISSEMINATED TO THE PUBLIC COULD
ASSIST ASSIST SCUSE ME IN THE
SAFE RECOVERY OF THE MISSING
PERSON. IN OUR ANALYSIS WITHIN
OUR TRIBE. ALL THE CRITERIA WERE
MET. BUT TO OUR FRUSTRATION AND
DISAPPOINTMENT, THE CHP DECLINE
TO ISSUE A FEATHER ALERT. WE
SENT OUT OUR OWN ALERT THROUGH
SOCIAL MEDIA. AND ULTIMATELY WE
RECOVERED ARE MISSING YOUTH
WITHOUT THE FEATHER ALERT BEING
ISSUED. BUT THIS EXPERIENCE
DEMONSTRATES THERE'S ROOM FOR
IMPROVEMENT IN THIS VITAL
PROGRAM. WE OFFER A COUPLE OF
RECOMMENDATIONS FOR THE
COMMITTEE'S CONSIDERATION. FIRST
WE RECOMMEND, INCLUDING LAW
ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES OF
FEDERALLY RECOGNIZED TRIBAL
GOVERNMENTS AND THE DEFINITION
OF LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES FOR
PURPOSES OF THE FEATHER ALERT.
IN OTHER WORDS, ALSO ALLOWED
TRIBAL LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCY TO
MAKE THE REQUEST DIRECTLY TO THE
CHP. THIS WOULD HELP STREAMLINE
COMMUNICATION BETWEEN THE MOST
LOCAL AGENCY AND THE CHP. AND
OFTENTIMES TRIBAL ON FORCE. MINT
RECEIVES MORE DETAILED AND
UPDATED INFORMATION BECAUSE OF
THE TRUST THEY HAVE WITH THE
TRIBAL COMMUNITIES THAT THEY
SERVE. SECOND, WE RECOMMEND THAT
THE CHP DECLINES TO ISSUE A
FEATHER WHEN THEY DECLINED TO
ISSUE A FEATHER ALERT THAT WE'VE
WE BE PROVIDED A REASON. FOR
THEM, DECLINING THAT TO THE
TRIBAL GOVERNMENT THAT WOULD BE
HELPFUL TO US AND MOVING
FORWARD. THE PERSON THAT WE HAD
MISSING WAS A PERSONAL. UM I'VE
BEEN DEALING WITH THIS YOUNG
CHILD SINCE THE AGE OF FOUR WHEN
SHE WAS REMOVED FROM HER
PARENTS' HOME. UM I KNOW THIS
CHILD CLOSELY. WE HAD A LOT AS
MUCH INFORMATION WE REALLY FELT
LIKE WE HAD MET ALL THE CRITERIA
. IT WAS VERY DISHEARTENING WHEN
WE WERE DECLINED TO GET THE
FEATHER ALERT. I'M HAPPY TO SAY
THAT THE CHILD IS SAFE NOW. UM
BUT THERE SHOULD HAVE BEEN WEEKS
WENT BY BEFORE ANYTHING COULD
HAPPEN, AND I FEEL LIKE OUR OWN
ALERT MECHANISM ON SOCIAL MEDIA
WAS ABLE TO GET THIS CHILD BACK.
BUT IF WE HAD THE FEDERAL ERT
WHEN WE SHOULD BE USING IT, I
MEAN, THERE IS A REASON WHY YOU
BROUGHT THIS FORWARD TO HELP OUR
TRIBAL GOVERNMENTS OR HELP OUR
TRIBAL CITIZENS AND WE WANT TO
USE THAT. I THINK THAT HAVING
THE SHERIFF'S HEERDEN PRESENT
TODAY I CAN SEE THEIR
WILLINGNESS TO WANT TO MAKE A
DIFFERENCE IN TRIBAL COMMUNITIES
. AND I LOOK FORWARD TO THAT. SO
I AM, YOU KNOW, HAPPY TO SEE THE
INVOLVEMENT THAT YOU BROUGHT
FORWARD ASSEMBLYMAN RAMOS AND I
LOOK FORWARD TO CONTINUING THIS
DIALOGUE. AND I JUST THANK YOU
FOR CONVENING THIS HEARING TO
HEAR THE VARIOUS PERSPECTIVES ON
THE FEATHER ALERT AND AGAIN,
THIS IS A VITAL TOOL FOR TRIBAL
GOVERNMENTS AND NATIVE YOUTH AND
WE LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH
YOU TO STRENGTHEN THIS PROGRAM.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU
SO MUCH FOR THAT TESTIMONY AND
FIRSTHAND EXPERIENCE AND
CERTAINLY PIECES OF LEGISLATION
THAT ARE INTRODUCED AND WE WANT
TO MAKE SURE THAT WE FINE TUNE
THOSE AND HEAR FROM THOSE THAT
ARE OUT THERE AND EVERYONE IN
THE ROOM. UM, I THINK IS HERE
TOO. TRY TO MAKE IT SO THAT
CALIFORNIA'S FIRST PEOPLE AND A
TOOL THAT'S USED FOR THEM IS
ADEQUATE IN BEING USED AND IN
AREAS THAT NEEDS TO BE USED. SO
THANK YOU FOR THAT TESTIMONY AND
THE RECOMMENDATIONS THERE. UM
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS INDIGENOUS.
JUSTICE FOUNDER AND PRESIDENT.
MORNINGSTAR GALLEY WHO WOULD
TOUCH ON SOME OF THE STATISTICS.
IT WAS MENTIONED FROM ASSEMBLY
MEMBER SHIAVO, UM AS FAR AS HOW
MANY FEATHER ALERTS ARE BEING
IMPLEMENTED, BUT WE KNOW THAT
OUR PEOPLE SUFFER AT A GREATER
GREATER CAUSE OF VIOLENCE BASED
ON THE STATISTICS. AND WE KNOW
THAT IF, UM BELIEVE FIVE ALERTS
WERE REQUESTED TO WERE
IMPLEMENTED, THREE WERE NOT
BASED ON THAT. BUT EVEN AT THAT
FIVE REQUEST, AND WHEN YOU LOOK
AT THE STATISTICS, YOU KNOW THAT
THERE'S MORE HARM THAT'S COMING
AGAINST OUR PEOPLE. THAT ISN'T
EVEN BEING REPORTED. SO IT'S
THAT TRUST FACTOR THAT WE WANT
TO ALSO IDENTIFY. UM MS
MORNINGSTAR. JIMMY SUNWAY.
MORNINGSTAR CALLIE ELECTRONICS
HEE MACHI, MAUI IS G. DO YOU SEE
MY PICTURE? THANK YOU SO MUCH
FOR ALLOWING ME TO BE HERE THIS
MORNING. UM AND SIT ALONGSIDE
THESE POWERFUL TRIBAL LEADERS
VERY GRATEFUL FOR THE
OPPORTUNITY TO SHARE A BIT WITH
YOU THIS MORNING. I WILL START
BY SHARING SOME, UH, PERSONAL
STORY OF HOW IT IS THAT I GOT
INVOLVED. WITH THE CURRENT
CRISIS OF MISSING MURDERED
INDIGENOUS PEOPLES, AND THEN I
WILL SHARE THOSE STATISTICS AS
REQUESTED. UM IT WAS IN 2012. I
WAS WORKING AS THE TRIBAL
HISTORIC PRESERVATION OFFICER
FOR MY TRIBE RIVER TRIBE, WHICH
ENCOMPASSES A FOUR COUNTY AREA
OF SHASTA MADOX LESSON AND
SISKIYOU COUNTIES. WE DO NOT
HAVE, UM, THAT COMMUNICATION AT
THAT TIME WE DID NOT HAVE THAT
COMMUNICATION WITH LOCAL LAW
ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES. AND SO IN
WORKING, UM AS THE TIPO AND
WITHIN OUR TRIBAL OFFICES, THERE
WAS A BLIZZARD THAT WAS TAKING
PLACE DURING THE WINTER. I HAD A
FAMILY THAT CAME IN, AND THEY
WERE VERY UPSET, AND THEIR LOVED
ONE HAD BEEN MISSING FOR A
NUMBER OF DAYS. THEY KNEW THAT
HIS TRACK WAS LOCATED ON A
MOUNTAIN ROAD, BUT HE WAS
NOWHERE TO BE FOUND. THE TRUCK
WAS RUNNING. UM AND HE THERE
WERE IT WAS BECAUSE OF THE
SNOWSTORM THERE. THERE WAS NO
IDENTIFYING INFORMATION OF WHERE
HE COULD BE CONTACTED LOCAL LAW
ENFORCEMENT AND THERE WAS NO
RESPONSE FROM MODOC COUNTY AT
THE TIME, THEY CAME DOWN TO THE
TRIBAL OFFICE AND I WAS ABLE TO
CREATE A MISSING PERSON'S FLYER.
WE DISTRIBUTED IT, THE FAMILY
HAD TO SET UP THEIR OWN SEARCH,
PARTY AND SEARCH TEAM TO LOCATE
THEIR MISSING RELATIVE. DO IMMA.
GARVAGHY WAS HE WAS NOT FOUND IT
WAS NOT UNTIL SIX MONTHS LATER,
WHEN THE SNOW MELTED THAT HIS
REMAINS WERE FOUND IN A CATTLE
TROUGH. UM AT A NEARBY RANCHERS
HOME, THEY KNOW THAT THESE WERE
SUSPICIOUS CIRCUMSTANCES AS THIS
TRIBAL MEMBER HAD ALWAYS LIVED
UP IN THE MOUNTAINS HAD SURVIVED
THE SNOWSTORMS. AND SO THEY KNEW
THAT THERE WAS YOU KNOW
SOMETHING. THERE WAS SOMETHING
OF CONCERN THAT WAS ALSO NEVER
INVESTIGATED DURING THAT TIME.
EIGHT YEARS LATER, MY FRIEND
RELATIVE AND TRIBAL MEMBER YOKI
MCCARVER, WHO SAT ON TRIBAL
COUNCIL, AMATEUR SPIRIT, UM
RELATIVE WAS KILLED BY HIS
PARTNER BY HIS NON NATIVE
PARTNER IN HIS TRIBAL HOME. UM
ON TRIBAL LANDS OF THE LIKELY
RANCHERIA AND LIKELY CALIFORNIA,
AND SO THIS SPEAKS TO THE
PATTERNS THAT OCCUR THAT WHEN
ONE RELATIVE GOES MISSING, THERE
IS AN YOU KNOW, A SITUATION OF A
RELATIVE THAT WAS MURDERED
THROUGH INTERPERSONAL VIOLENCE.
WE HAVE HAD THE SUPPORT OF THE
OFFICE OF NATIVE AMERICAN
AFFAIRS FROM THE STATE
DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE, UM IN AND
SUPPORTING THE PROSECUTION OF
THAT CASE, BUT IT IS REALLY
CHALLENGING, ESPECIALLY WITHIN
NORTHEASTERN CALIFORNIA TO BE
ABLE TO ADDRESS SOME OF THESE
ISSUES. I'LL SHARE THAT. LAST
SPRING, WE ATTENDED THE
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR'S NOT
INVISIBLE. ACT HEARINGS WHERE WE
PROVIDED TESTIMONY AND SUPPORTED
SURVIVORS AND SURVIVOR FAMILIES
PROVIDING TESTIMONY TO THE
FEDERAL GOVERNMENT ABOUT THE
CURRENT NEEDS, SHORTCOMINGS AND
OPPORTUNITIES IN OUR EFFORTS ON
BEHALF OF INDIGENOUS COMMUNITIES
. WE COLLABORATED WITH DOJ TO
SUPPORT LISTENING SESSIONS WITH
TRIBAL COMMUNITIES ACROSS
CALIFORNIA AND CONSISTENTLY WE
HEARD FROM OUR TRIBAL AND INTER
TRIBAL COMMUNITIES. THAT
ALTHOUGH THERE IS A WILLINGNESS
TO COLLABORATE AND COORDINATE
EFFORTS WITH LAW ENFORCEMENT
OFTEN THERE IS A LACK OF
INFRASTRUCTURE EFFORT OR
WILLINGNESS TO WORK MEANINGFULLY
TOGETHER. AS A B 1314 WORKS TO
CLOSE THIS GAP. WE ALSO
CONSISTENTLY HEARD THAT OUR
COMMUNITIES INSTINCTIVELY RELY
ON ONE ANOTHER IN TIMES OF
CRISIS, MAKING US THE EXPERTS ON
OUR OWN EXPERIENCES. WE HEARD
TIME AND TIME AGAIN THAT
EQUITABLE INVESTMENT INTO
SERVICES AND GRASSROOTS
ORGANIZATIONS IS URGENTLY NEEDED
TO COMPLEMENT AND CLOSE THE GAP
BETWEEN COMMUNITIES AND
GOVERNMENT. WE CARRY THE
KNOWLEDGE AND TRUST OF OUR
PEOPLES WITH THE PROPER
INVESTMENTS, WE CAN COLLECTIVELY
ACTUALIZED THE VISION OF THE
1314 TO ENSURE A WHOLE COMMUNITY
RESPONSE IN TIMES OF CRISIS. IN
ADDITION TO THE NECESSARY
ONGOING WORK TO PREVENT,
MINIMIZE AND HEAL FROM THESE
RUPTURES OF SAFETY. IT'S THE
MAINTENANCE OF COMMUNITY
WELLNESS THAT WILL KEEP US SAFE.
I SPOKE EARLIER DURING THE PRESS
CONFERENCE ON THE, UM GUARANTEED
INCOME THAT WE WILL BE PILOTING.
THAT'S A TWO YEAR UH THAT THAT
HAS BEEN TWO YEARS IN PROCESS TO
WHERE WE FINALLY WILL BE
LAUNCHING THAT WE ARE SO
GRATEFUL TO, UM, THE ROLE OF MS
CHIKANE. MRS CHIKANE ON THE
STATUS OF WOMEN DEPARTMENT OF
STATUS OF WOMEN, UM, AND HOW
WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO PILOT THROUGH
THE CITY AND COUNTY OF SAN
FRANCISCO OF PROVIDING
INDIGENOUS SURVIVORS. AS WE'RE
ALL AWARE OF THE FRIENDSHIP
HOUSE RECOVERY CENTER IS LOCATED
IN SAN FRANCISCO. AND SO AS
WE'RE ABLE TO SUPPORT A NUMBER
OF FAMILY MEMBERS OF MISSING AND
MURDERED INDIGENOUS RELATIVES,
UM THROUGH THAT PROGRAM, GET
THEM INTO SLE SOBER LIVING
ENVIRONMENTS AND BE ABLE TO
RESOURCE THE FAMILIES AND IN A
WAY THAT UM, WELL, THEY ARE
DEALING WITH THE CRISIS OF THEIR
LOVED ONE THAT HAS GONE MISSING
OR BEING MURDERED. THEY'RE ABLE
TO HEAL FROM BOTH SUBSTANCE
ABUSE AND ALCOHOLISM. AND SO WE
HOPE THAT THE FINANCIAL BURDEN
UM, THAT IS LIFTED FOR THEM AS
SURVIVORS THAT THEY WILL HAVE
THAT DEEPER CAPACITY TO ENGAGE
IN CARE, CONNECT WITH COMMUNITY
AND TO HEAL, AND WE TRUST THAT
THE RESOURCES THAT ARE PROVIDED
IN THAT SUPPORT WILL PROVIDE
THEM THE TYPE OF RELIEF THAT
COMES FROM KNOWING THAT YOUR
BASIC NEEDS ARE MET. WE ARE
HOPING THAT AS WE PILOT THIS IN
SAN FRANCISCO THAT IT WILL BE
REPLICATED IN ALL COUNTIES
ACROSS THE STATES, AS WE KNOW
THAT THERE IS DEPARTMENT D O S W
DEPARTMENT ON THE STATUS OF
WOMEN FUNDING AVAILABLE IN ALL
IN ALL COUNTIES, AND WE WOULD
LIKE TO SEE THAT UM, OCCUR. WE
WILL. SORRY. LET ME SHARE THIS.
WE'RE CONCERNED ABOUT HOW A B
1314 IMPACTS YOUTH AND FOSTER
CARE THAT HASN'T BEEN MENTIONED
YET. UM IT'S REALLY AH!
DISAPPOINTING TO HEAR THAT AS
FEDERALLY RECOGNIZED TRIBES AS
YOU'RE OFF TRIBE AS BEAR RIVER,
UM, AS PECHANGA ARE PUTTING
FORWARD THE FEATHER ALERTS THAT
IT IS THE HIGHWAY PATROL THAT IS
DECIDING THAT THEY DON'T MEET
THE CRITERIA FOR ANY FEDERALLY
RECOGNIZED TRIBE FOR ANY TRIBE
THAT IS PUTTING FORWARD ON
BEHALF OF THEIR TRIBAL NATION.
THEY SHOULD ABSOLUTELY BE TAKEN
INTO UM, CONSIDERATION THAT IF
IT IS MEETING THE CRITERIA ON
BEHALF OF THE TRIBE, IT SHOULD
BE MEETING IT ON BEHALF OF THE
HIGHWAY PATROL. UM THROUGH IJ
WHEN WE ARE ASSESSING THE NEEDS
AND ADVOCATING ALONGSIDE ON
BEHALF OF SYSTEM INVOLVED
INDIGENOUS PEOPLES THROUGHOUT
NORTHERN CALIFORNIA. WE ARE
SEEKING TO ELEVATE NEEDED
SUPPORT IN CREATING PATHWAYS OF
HEALING AND EMPOWERMENT FOR
THOSE SURVIVORS OF VIOLENCE. UM
WE ARE UNDERSTANDING THAT
ALTHOUGH. WE ORGANIZED
THROUGHOUT OUR TRIBAL AND URBAN
COMMUNITIES. HOW WE ARE
ACCOUNTABLE FOR RESPONDING TO
THE CHANGING NEEDS OF THOSE
COMMUNITIES. AND SO WE ARE
WORKING AND COMMITTED. FORCED
WE'RE WORKING IN FOR STRUCTURAL
CHANGE AND TRANSFORMATION OF
THESE DOMINANT NARRATIVES IN
WHICH OUR STORIES ARE TOLD
NARRATIVES THAT BLAME AND
FURTHER MARGINALIZED AND
MARGINALIZED SYSTEM IMPACTED
INDIGENOUS WOMEN AND GIRLS. AND
SO THOSE ARE THE STORIES THAT
ARE BEING PUT OUT IN THE MEDIA
THAT WE'RE CONSTANTLY
CHALLENGING. THERE'S THE VICTIM
BLAMING THERE'S THE FINGER
POINTING. WHAT DID THEY DO TO
GET THEMSELVES INTO THIS
SITUATION WHERE WE SEE WITH NON
NATIVE PEOPLES THAT THAT'S NOT
THE STORY, AND THAT'S NOT THE
NARRATIVE THAT IS TOLD. AND SO
WITH THAT WE UNDERSTAND THAT AS
NATIVE PEOPLES, WE WILL LIKELY
NOT GET JUSTICE WITHIN THE
COURTROOMS, BUT WE CAN HAVE
HEALING WITHIN OUR COMMUNITIES.
AND SO THAT IS THE WORK THAT WE
DO IN TERMS OF PROVIDING
EMERGENCY AID. EMERGENCY SUPPORT
THE ADVOCACY THAT I'M IN MY W
RALLIES, UM AND EVENTS AND SO
EACH AND EVERY ONE OF US IS A
WALKING MIRACLE. OUR ANCESTORS
HAVE BLESSED US WITH LIFE BORN
OF THEIR OWN COMMITMENTS TO
PRESERVING, PROTECTING AND
DEFENDING OUR CULTURAL LIFE WAYS
OUR CEREMONIES IN OUR
COMMUNITIES. WE HONOR THIS GIFT
BY LIVING AND CARRYING FORWARD
THEIR COMMITMENTS. TO THEIR
LIVES AND TO EACH OTHER. WE
HONOR THIS GIFT BY LOVING EACH
OTHER TOGETHER, WE WILL HOLD
VIGIL. WE SING, WE DANCE AND WE
PRAY FOR JUSTICE FOR SAFETY AND
FOR CHANGE. LET US CELEBRATE THE
ACCOMPLISHMENTS BY COMMITTING TO
CONTINUING TO BUILD SAFE AND
MORE RESOURCE COMMUNITIES WHERE
RELATIVES ARE SUPPORTED
CONNECTED TO OUR CULTURE. AND
SAFE ENOUGH TO LIVE THEIR LIVES.
SO THANK YOU. THANK YOU SO MUCH
FOR THE PANELS, TESTIMONY AND
INSIGHT INTO AREAS OF
IMPROVEMENT. AND DISCUSSION AND
RELATIONSHIP BUILDING. IS THERE
ANY COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS FROM
SOME OF THEIR MOUTH IS THANK
YOU. THE THING THAT KEEPS COMING
TO MIND. IN. THIS IS ONGOING FOR
AS LONG AS I CAN REMEMBER. IS
THAT. ON THE TRIBAL LANDS. YOU
DON'T FEEL LIKE YOU CAN CALL
911. AND THERE'S THAT GAP, AND
THERE'S THAT PROBLEM. AND IT'S
YOU KIND OF BROUGHT IT UP. YOU
KNOW IT'S WELL, HOW DO WE GET
THEM TO INTERACT BETTER? THERE'S
ALWAYS BEEN THAT DISCONNECT
BETWEEN HOW DO THE SHERIFF'S
INTERACT WITH THE TRIBAL
GOVERNMENTS? IN SOME PLACES?
IT'S REALLY, REALLY GOOD. OTHER
PLACES. THAT'S HORRIBLE. AND SO
IT'S HOW DO WE CREATE THAT
STOPGAP. I STILL PROTECTING
SOVEREIGNTY WHERE IT'S GOING TO
BE THAT GUARANTEED. IT'S NO MORE
OF THIS, BUT IT'S THIS. WHEN WE
COME TOGETHER. UM. FOR THE CHP
ON THAT SIDE. I CAN'T HELP BUT
THINK THAT. I WANT TO SAY JAMES
AND I, BUT SOME OF THEM ARE
RAMOS AND I HAVE HAVE SOME WORK
TO DO TO LOOK AT IS THERE AN
AUTOMATIC ASSUMPTION. THAT NEEDS
TO BE PUT INTO PLACE. SO INSTEAD
OF GOING? OKAY MAYBE THIS IS A
FEATHER ALERT OR NOT. LAW
ENFORCEMENT READS IT AS WE'RE
AUTOMATICALLY GOING TO ASSUME IT
IS AND TAKE ACTION IMMEDIATELY
UNTIL WE FIND OUT THAT IT'S NOT
THAT THAT WAY. THERE'S AN
IMMEDIATE ASSIST, AND I KNOW WE
HAVE IN THE NEXT PANEL LAW
ENFORCEMENT COMING UP. SO AS YOU
GUYS PREPARE FOR THAT I'D LIKE
TO HEAR THAT SIDE OF IT BECAUSE
I KNOW IT'S A LOT OF RESOURCES.
IT'S A LOT OF STUFF THAT GOES
INTO AUTOMATICALLY. KICKING THAT
IN WHEN WE KNOW THE CASES AND WE
KNOW THAT DATA. IT'S A DIFFERENT
CONVERSATION VERSUS YOU KNOW IF
MY SON GOES WHEN I HAVE AN
ARTISTIC KID AND HE USED TO
ELOPE AND HE'D TAKE OFF AND HE
DISAPPEAR. AND THAT'S SCARY. AS
A DAD. THAT YOU KNOW YOUR YOUR
LITTLE BOY'S GONE. I'VE HAD THAT
HAPPEN TO ME. AND YOU'VE GOT A
CALL ON FORCE MINT IS
EVERYBODY'S OUT LOOKING FOR HIM,
AND HE WAS JUST A LITTLE ATTACK.
IT'S JUST A BOY RUNNING AROUND
ON THE STREET. AND THEY FOUND
HIM. HE WAS RUNNING UP THE
ONRAMP ONTO THE HIGHWAY BECAUSE
HE WAS GONNA WALK TO HIS
GRANDMA'S HOUSE. NOW THAT CAN
HAPPEN TO ME. WHAT'S HAPPENING
ON THE TRIBES? WHAT'S HAPPENING
IN OTHER PLACES? WHAT'S
HAPPENING IN SOCIETY AND FOR ME,
IT WAS AN AUTOMATIC ASSUMPTION.
HEY, HERE'S AN AUTISTIC KID. WE
GOTTA GO NOW. AND THANKFULLY WE
FOUND HIM. BUT IT STILL TOOK
LIKE AN HOUR TO FIND HIM. SO
WHEN WE LOOK AT THAT IT'S WHAT
MECHANISMS DO WE PUT INTO PLACE?
FROM STATE LAW. WHERE THE
MECHANISM WILL WORK. WHILE ALSO
LOOKING AT OKAY. YES THERE'S A
RESOURCE PROBLEM. YES, THERE'S A
STATE BUDGET DEFICIT YET ALL
THESE THINGS ARE HAPPENING. BUT
WE HAVE TO BE COGNIZANT OF WHAT
DO WE DO TO TRIGGER IMMEDIATE
RESOURCES? AND THEN HOW DO WE
WITHIN THE TRAVEL COMMUNITIES
BUILD THAT TRUST IS WAS SET.
WHERE YOU FEEL COMFORTABLE TO
CALL WHERE YOU DON'T FEEL LIKE
THERE'S GOING TO BE RETRIBUTION.
TO YOUR FAMILY, WHERE WE START
PUSHING THAT OUT OF THE
SUBCULTURE. THE DIFFERENT
PEOPLES. SO I MEAN, WITH WITH
THAT? I MEAN, IN YOUR I THINK
YOU ALREADY KIND OF SAID IT. YOU
KNOW, THAT'S THAT'S SOMETHING
THAT WE NEED TO LOOK AT. AH! IS
THERE ANYTHING ELSE TO ADD TO
THAT TO GO ON MORE DEBT? I JUST
NEEDED TO WORK BETTER JUST
COLLABORATING WITHIN OURSELVES.
CHAIRMAN. YES I THINK WE HAVE A
SUCCESS WITH THE FEATHER ALERT.
ANYTHING OUT OF SOMETHING NEW.
THERE'S ALWAYS A LEARNING CURVE
BUMPS IN THE ROAD, RIGHT? AND,
UH, SIMILAR MATHIS. I WANT FOR
THAT SAME FEELING ABOUT A MONTH
AGO. WITH AN ARCTIC, SO IT'S
VERY SCARY. UH, THE SAME WITH
SAME THING ON THE HIGHWAY, BUT
ANYWAY WENT THROUGH THAT IT'S
SCARY. UM BUT I THINK IT'S BEEN
YEARS. HE'S GRADUATING HIGH
SCHOOL ISSUES HAVING A WHILE.
YEAH, BUT BUT YOU HAVE A NEW
SYSTEM OF FEATHER SYSTEM. WHAT
ARE THE GAPS WITHIN THAT SYSTEM?
WE KNOW THE HISTORY. WE KNOW THE
TRAUMA. THOSE ARE FACTS AND
AGAIN WHAT I'M HEARING.
EVERYBODY WANTS TO COME TOGETHER
TO WORK TOGETHER. WE'RE NOT
TAKING A WEEK'S JURISDICTION
WANTS YOU TO RESPECT OURS AND
RESPECT YOURS. WHAT ARE THOSE
GAPS? HERE'S THE BIG PICTURE,
RIGHT? THAT'S SHERIFF. ARE THAT
ARE THAT YOUNG GIRL IS MISSING.
WE JUST WENT THROUGH IT OUR
SECOND TIME AROUND WITH HUMBOLDT
DOWNER COUNTY. IT WAS PRETTY
GOOD. YOU KNOW, WE GOT IT OUT
THERE AND THAT THAT YOUNG GIRLS
ABLE TO COME HOME. UM AND SO
THAT WAS A BUT WE HAD TO GO
THROUGH THIS FIRST OF GETTING
DENIED. RIGHT AND SO AGAIN, HOW
CAN WE NOW? EVERYBODY IN PRESS
CONFERENCE IN THIS ROOM? WHERE
IS THE SCRATCH WAS EDUCATION AND
TRAINING. UM IT'S NOT ABOUT JUST
THE FEATHER ALERT. WEATHER
ALERTS GOT TO COME WITH THE
HISTORICAL INDIGENOUS TRAUMA,
EDUCATION TRAINING. DO YOU KNOW
WHAT YOU'RE SAYING? WHEN YOU
DENY A FEATHER ALERT? IT'S NOT
JUST THAT INDIVIDUAL. YOU'RE
SAYING TO THAT SO AGAIN. I'M
LOOKING AT WAYS BRINGING AWAY
THE ROOM. FILL THE GAPS. BUT
THAT'S WHAT YOU JUST SAID, IS
IMPORTANT BECAUSE IT'S THAT
TRAINING ASPECT. IN DEALING WITH
EVERYTHING I'VE DEALT WITH IN
THIS BUILDING FOR THE LAST 10
YEARS. WELL THERE WAS FIRES OR
FLOODS OR HERE. BUT WHEN YOU'RE
TALKING ABOUT EMERGENCY RESPONSE
THE KEY TO EMERGENCY RESPONSES,
TRAINING AND HAVING THOSE
ELEMENTS WORK TOGETHER. IN A
MAKE THAT THAT PLUG AGAIN THAT
ADVOCACY FOR TRIALS TO WORK
DIRECTLY. WE CHP I STILL THINK
TRIED TO WANT TO WORK WITH THE
LOWEST DICTION ABSOLUTELY CAN
BUT ALL SHE COULD AMEND IT TO
INCLUDE TRAVEL GOVERNMENTS TO
WORK DIRECTLY. CHP TO ACT IN
THAT REAL TIME. IT'S NOT ABOUT
TAKING NOBODY. THIS IS ABOUT ALL
THEY COME TOGETHER IN REAL TIME
WE GOT AN HOUR TO TAKE ACTION
JUST MINE. THANK YOU. THANK YOU
SO MUCH FOR ALL OF YOUR HAD
SOMETHING. I JUST WANTED TO THIS
STATISTICS THAT WERE MENTIONED
BEFORE THE NEXT PANEL COMES UP
AND SO THAT THEY CAN BE INCLUDED
THAT FOUR OUT OF FIVE OF NATIVE
WOMEN HAVE EXPERIENCED SOME FORM
OF VIOLENCE WITHIN THEIR
LIFETIME. THAT'S 84% OF NATIVE
WOMEN, MORE THAN HALF WHO HAVE
EXPERIENCED SEXUAL VIOLENCE,
NATIVE WOMEN FOR FACE MURDER
RATES MORE THAN 10 TIMES THE
NATIONAL AVERAGE. EVEN THOUGH WE
ARE ONE PERSON OF THE POPULATION
AND 2% OF THE U. S TOTAL
POPULATION OF WOMEN HOMICIDE IS
THE THIRD LEADING CAUSE OF DEATH
AMONG NATIVE GIRLS AND WOMEN
AGES, 10 TO 24 AND THE FIFTH
LEADING CAUSE OF DEATH FOR
NATIVE WOMEN AGES 25 TO 34,
ACCORDING TO THE NATIONAL CRIME
INFORMATION CENTER IN 2016.
THERE WERE 5712 REPORTS OF
MISSING NATIVE WOMEN AND GIRLS
THROUGH THE U. S. DEPARTMENT OF
JUSTICE, FEDERAL MISSING PERSONS
DATABASE, BUT THEN THERE WERE
ONLY LOGGED 116 OF THOSE CASES
THROUGH MAMMA'S. THIS NUMBER IS
LIKELY HIGHER AS THERE IS NO
RELIABLE COUNT OF HOW MANY
NATIVE WOMEN GIRLS AND TWO
SPIRIT PEOPLE GO MISSING OR
MURDERED ANNUALLY. AND SO WHEN
THOSE FEATHER ALERTS ARE DENIED,
UM, JUST AS CHAIRMAN, JAMES
MENTIONED THAT HISTORICAL
INFORMATION UM AND BACKGROUND
NEEDS TO BE TAKEN INTO
CONSIDERATION WHEN THE FEATHER
ALERTS ARE DENIED BY CHP, THANK
YOU. THANK YOU. THANK YOU SO
MUCH FOR THAT. AND THANK YOU FOR
YOUR TESTIMONY. AND REALLY, IT
GOES TO, UM CHAIRMAN JO JAMES
WHEN THE TRAUMA IS THERE, AND
WE'RE TRYING TO BUILD THAT
MUTUAL RESPECT MUTUAL TRUST. AND
THEN WHEN A FEATHER ALERT IS
DENIED TO BE IMPLEMENTED, THAT
JUST FURTHERS THE DISTRUST
BETWEEN ALL THE WORK THAT WE'RE
TRYING TO DO, SO THERE'S MUCH
MORE TO IT WHEN YOU DEAL WITH
CALIFORNIA'S FIRST PEOPLE WHEN
WE'RE MOVING FORWARD. AND THEN
GET DENIED ALL THE HISTORICAL
EVERYTHING THAT COMES UP EVEN
MYSELF ON SALMON WELLINGTON
RESERVATION HAD TO BUILD A
RELATIONSHIP WITH LOCAL LAW
ENFORCE ALL THAT COMES INTO
PERSPECTIVE, SO THERE HAS TO BE
A COMPONENT. FOR THAT, UM AND
ALSO ADDING AND LOOKING AT
REASONS TO DECLINE THAT MIGHT
HELP. BETTER THAT THAT MUTUAL
RESPECT UNDERSTANDING TO
UNDERSTAND WHY BECAUSE, QUITE
FRANKLY, WHEN YOU GET DENIED,
WHAT COMES FIRST TO YOUR MIND IS
BECAUSE OF WHO WE ARE. AND THAT
SHOULDN'T BE HERE IN THE YEAR,
2024 THAT'S WHY WE'RE SITTING ON
THIS DIET. THAT'S WHY WE'RE ABLE
TO BRING THESE DISCUSSIONS. HARD
DISCUSSIONS SOMETIMES WHERE THE
STATE OF CALIFORNIA TO START TO
COME TO TERMS WITH SOME OF THIS
ON THE HISTORICAL BUT ALSO
TRYING TO BUILD COLLABORATION TO
ENSURE THAT WE'RE MAKING SURE
THAT THE SAFETY OF OUR PEOPLE
ARE THERE. SO I WANT TO THANK
YOU ALL FOR THAT AND HEAR EACH
AND EVERY ONE OF THOSE AREAS.
THEY'RE WRAPAROUND SERVICES WAS
ONE THAT I THINK WE NEED TO
FOCUS ON BECAUSE WHEN SOMEONE
GOES MISSING, I MEAN, YOU TALKED
ABOUT IT HERE. WHAT'S GOING
THROUGH THAT PERSON'S MIND
DURING THAT TIME? THAT'S WHERE
YOU NEED TO HAVE SOMEBODY TO
TALK TO WORK WITH YOU THROUGH
THOSE THINGS, RIGHT? AND THEN
ULTIMATELY OUR GOAL IS TO MAKE
SURE PEOPLE COME BACK HOME
THROUGH THE ISSUANCE OF FEATHER
ALERT. LET'S ACCESS A B 39 ALL
THESE ISSUES AND ALL THESE
TOOLS. BUT WHERE DOES THAT
INDIVIDUAL GO FROM THAT POINT
RIGHT WRAP AROUND SERVICE THAT
ARE AFFORDED, UM OTHER PLACES IN
THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA, SO WE
WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THAT'S
MAKING ITS WAY INTO INDIAN
COUNTRY. SO I WANT TO THANK YOU
FOR BEING ON THIS PANEL, AND WE
WILL BE REACHING OUT TO FURTHER
DISCUSS THIS OF HOW WE MOVE
FORWARD. THANK YOU SO MUCH.
THANK YOU. WE DO HAVE, UM,
BEFORE WE GO ON TO PANEL THREE.
I WANTED TO SEE A CAROLYN DENO
WANTED TO GIVE HER TESTIMONY.
THANK YOU. UM I WANT TO THANK
ASSEMBLYMEMBER'S THOMAS, THE
STATE LEGISLATURE AND CHP FOR
WORKING DILIGENTLY TO DEVELOP
AND IMPLEMENT THE FEDERAL LAW.
I'M HERE TODAY TODAY TO SHARE MY
PERSONAL EXPERIENCES. MM. I P
CRISIS. MY GRANDMOTHER
EXPERIENCED VIOLENCE AND WAS
MURDERED IN THE LATE 19
SEVENTIES ON THE RESERVATION,
LEAVING SIX CHILDREN BEHIND.
DURING THAT TIME, THERE WASN'T
ANY FORMAL TRIBAL GOVERNMENT. NO
TRIBAL LAW ENFORCEMENT. THERE
WASN'T A PLACE FOR HER TO ASK
FOR HELP. PRIORITY FOR MURDER.
THE NON NATIVE PERPETRATOR
KIDNAPPED HER 16 OR SIX YEAR OLD
SON. BUT SHE STILL DID NOT GO TO
LAW ENFORCEMENT BECAUSE OF THAT
MISTRUST THAT SAME MAN LATER.
SHOT HER IN THE CHEST IN FRONT
OF MY GRANDFATHER. AND KILLED
HER. OUR LIVES HAVE BEEN FOREVER
CHANGED. UNFORTUNATELY THIS
TRAUMA IS NOT UNIQUE TO MY
FAMILY. WHAT THE IMPLEMENTATION
OF A B 1314 FEATHER ALERT. WE
ARE BRINGING LIGHT TO THE
DARKNESS AND CREATING A TOOL BOX
FOR TRIBES AND LAW ENFORCEMENT
TO UTILIZE TO COMBAT THE MMP
CRISIS. HOWEVER THE REAL TIME
IMPLEMENTATION OF THE BILL SHOWS
THAT CERTAIN AMENDMENTS ARE
NEEDED TO TRULY MEET THE INTENT
OF THE LAW. AND MY FAMILY, AND I
AND I HAVE PERSONALLY SUFFERED
AS A RESULT. AND THE SUMMER OF
2023. MY ADULT SISTER WENT
MISSING IN SAN FRANCISCO. AFTER
SIX DAYS OF NO COMMUNICATION. MY
FAMILY DECIDED TO FILE A MISSING
PERSONS REPORT AND THAT WAS
EXTREMELY, UM, A DIFFICULT
DECISION FOR MY FAMILY AND
WHETHER OR NOT WE WERE GOING TO
CALL, BUT WE SHOULD DO WOULD BE
SOMEHOW IF SHE WAS DOING
SOMETHING THAT WAS, UM ILLEGAL
SOMETIMES GET HER JAIL TIME OR
SOMETHING LIKE THAT. SO WE
FINALLY CALLED AND WITHOUT OUT A
FEW DAYS WE ASKED FOR A FEATHER
ALERT. AND I EXPLAIN WHY MY
SISTER AND INDIGENOUS WOMAN FIT
THE PARAMETERS. I READ THE
ACTUAL LANGUAGE FROM THE LAW TO
THE OFFICER TO MAKE SURE EXPLAIN
TO WIRE IT FIT WITHIN THE LAW.
AND. WHEN I FINALLY RECEIVED A
CALL BACK MY PERSPECTIVE WAS
THAT THE OFFICER WAS LOOKING FOR
DISQUALIFYING INFORMATION VERSUS
QUALIFYING VARIABLES. AS SOON AS
I MENTIONED HER HISTORY WITH
SUBSTANCE ABUSE THE OFFICER, HIS
TONE CHANGED IMMEDIATELY. HE
SAID. OH, OKAY. AND THEN THE
LINE OF QUESTIONING KIND OF
CHANGE, AND I WAS EVENTUALLY
TOLD THAT A WOMAN DOESN'T GO
MISSING. IT'S A CHOICE. HMM.
THERE IS A LIMITED UNDERSTANDING
OF THE UNIQUE CHALLENGES THAT
NATIVE PEOPLE FACE IN
CALIFORNIA. NO UNDERSTANDING OF
OUR TRAUMA OR THE CRISIS OF MY P
. THAT IS THE VERY REASON WE
SHOULD WE HAVE THE FEATHER
ALERT. WHEN THEY NEVER PEOPLE
ARE MISSING. STATISTICS SHOW
THAT THEY OFTEN BECOME VICTIMS
OF VIOLENT CRIMES SUCH AS HUMAN
TRAFFICKING, SEXUAL ASSAULT AND
MURDER. THE ATTEMPT TO ISSUE A
FEATHER ALERT FROM MY SISTER WAS
DENIED. AND I LEFT MY FAMILY
FEELING HOPELESS AND DEVASTATED.
THE YUROK. MM I P INVESTIGATOR
WHO WAS ALSO CROSS DEPUTIES AND
HUMBLE ON DOWN OR COUNTY ALSO
TRIED TO INTERVENE AND WAS ALSO
DENIED. THANKFULLY, WE DID FIND
MY SISTER. BUT SHE WAS GONE FOR
FAR TOO LONG THAT NEEDED TO BE
AND WE ALL EXPERIENCED TRAUMA AS
A RESULT. I WANT YOU TO ASK
YOURSELF. WHAT WOULD YOU DO IF
THIS WAS YOUR SISTER? YOUR
GRANDMOTHER? YOUR DAUGHTER? WHAT
LINKS WOULD YOU GO TO ENSURE
THEIR SAFETY? I WANT YOU TO TAKE
THAT SAME CARE YOU HAVE FOR YOUR
FAMILY AND USE IT TO STRENGTHEN
THE LAW. AND PROVIDE LAW
ENFORCEMENT AND COMMUNITY THE
TOOLS WE NEED TO END THIS
CRISIS. TRIBAL LAW ENFORCEMENT
KNOW THEIR CITIZENS, THEIR
TRAUMA INFORMED AND THEY NEED
THE ABILITY TO WORK DIRECTLY
WITH CHP TO ISSUES ALERTS. WE
ALSO NEED PEOPLE IN THE COUNTY
AND CH PEOPLE. CHP LEVEL WHO ARE
TRAUMA INFORMED. MM I P INFORMED
AND KNOW ABOUT TRIBAL PEOPLE. WE
SHOULD NOT BE FIGHTING THIS
FIGHT SALON WHERE WE'RE IN THIS
CRISIS TOGETHER. WE NEED CHANGES
TO THE FEDERAL IMPLEMENTATION
BECAUSE IT'S NOT A MATTER OF
ONE. ANOTHER NATIVE PERSON IS
REPORTED MISSING OR ENDANGERED.
IT'S A MATTER WHEN THANK YOU.
THANK YOU SO MUCH, UM, AND LIKE
TO WELCOME ASSEMBLYMEMBER'S
SAUDIA, DO YOU HAVE ANY
COMMENTS? THANK YOU, UM,
CHAIRMAN. RAMOS AND THANK YOU,
YOU KNOW, FOR THE TESTIMONY AND
FOR BEING BRAVE AND SHARING THAT
I HAD NOT COMMENTS, BUT MORE
QUESTIONS BECAUSE I THINK THAT
TESTIMONY REALLY STRUCK ME IN
TERMS OF, UM YOU KNOW WHAT IS
HAPPENING IN THE IMPLEMENTATION,
SO JUST A QUESTION IN TERMS OF
UM. WHO GETS TO DECIDE, YOU KNOW
IF THE MISSING PERSON QUALIFIES
UNDER THE FEDERAL ALERT, IS IT
WHEN YOU GUYS CALL TO A
DISPATCHER, OR IS IT THE LONG
FORCE MINT OFFICIAL AND YOU
KNOW, I GUESS YOU KNOW, AND I'M
JOINED TOO LATE, BUT I THINK
IT'S I THINK WHAT THAT REMINDS
US IS THAT PROBABLY WE NEED MORE
EDUCATION AND TRAINING. UM TO I
THINK FROM FROM THE BEGINNING TO
OUR DISPATCHERS TO THOSE ARE THE
ARE TAKING THE INTAKE CALL TO UM
ARE LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICIALS
BUT THANK YOU AGAIN FOR SHARING.
UM YOU KNOW YOUR TESTIMONY. I
THINK WE GET TO LEARN ABOUT HOW
THINGS GET IMPLEMENTED AFTER
THEIR PAST. YEAH, I THINK THIS
SITUATION WAS UNIQUE BECAUSE IT
WAS IN SAN FRANCISCO ON URBAN
SETTING AND MY TRIBE ISN'T A
WORLD SETTING AND WE HAVE A
GREAT RELATIONSHIP WITH OUR
LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT, WHEREAS I
DON'T BELIEVE THERE IS A
FEDERALLY RECOGNIZED TRIBE IN
SAN FRANCISCO. TO WHERE THEY CAN
BE EDUCATED OR HAVE THOSE
RELATIONSHIPS TO BUILD AND NO
TRIBAL PEOPLE. SO THAT WAS HOW
IT WAS UNIQUE TO WHERE AS BEING
A FORMER WORLD TRIBE AND TRYING
TO GET A FEATHER ALERT,
IMPLEMENTED AND BY THE LOCAL LAW
ENFORCEMENT IN SAN FRANCISCO WAS
, UM, NOT EFFECTIVE FOR US. IT
WAS DEVASTATING. THANK YOU SO
MUCH. CAROLYN FOR YOUR ADVOCACY
FROM DAY ONE AND HELPING TO GET
THIS BILL MOVING ORIGINALLY AND
THANK YOU FOR COMING HERE AND
GIVING YOUR TESTIMONY FIRSTHAND.
EXPERIENCE OF AREAS THAT WE
STILL NEED TO CONTINUE TO WORK
ON SOME THANK YOU. AND THANK YOU
FOR YOUR FAMILY. WE'RE GOING TO
MOVE NOW INTO PANEL THREE. THE
LAW ENFORCEMENT PERSPECTIVE ON
IMPLEMENTATION OF FEATHER ALERT.
WE HAVE EUROPE TRAVEL POLICE
CHIEF GREG O. ROURKE. HUMBOLDT
COUNTY SHERIFF AND CALIFORNIA
STATE SHERIFFSASSOCIATION TRIBAL
LAYER SINCE SHERIFF HANSEL. SAN
FRANCISCO POLICE COMMISSIONER
CINDY ALICE SAN DIEGO SHERIFF'S
DEPARTMENT SHERIFF KELLY
MARTINEZ, LOS ANGELES POLICE
DEPARTMENT COMMANDER J. MASTIC.
WE'RE GONNA RUN OUT OF CHAIR. SO
THE ORDER OF SPEAKING WILL BE
YOUR, UM POLICE CHIEF GREG O
ROURKE, HUMBOLDT COUNTY SHERIFF
SHERIFF HANSEL AND SAN FRANCISCO
POLICE COMMISSIONER CINDY ALICE
SAN DIEGO SHERIFF DEPARTMENT
SHERIFF KELLY MARTINEZ AND FIFTH
WILL BE LOS ANGELES POLICE
DEPARTMENT COMMANDER J MASTIC.
AND IF OTHERS WANTED TO SPEAK,
PLEASE LET ME KNOW. THANK YOU.
WE HEARD THE TESTIMONY, UM,
EARLY ON FROM THE COMMISSIONER,
CHP ATTORNEY GENERAL'S OFFICE
AND THEN THE ENLIGHTENING VOICE
OF THE TRIBAL PERSPECTIVE. AND
THEN THE FIRST HAND EXPERIENCE
OF FAMILY AND INVOLVED IN THAT,
AND WE'VE HEARD SOME SUCCESS
STORIES, BUT WE ALSO HEAR THAT
THERE HAS TO BE A LOT MORE
MOVING FORWARD IN BUILDING THAT
RESPECT. UM AND IT IS TRUE WHEN
CHAIRMAN JAMES WAS TALKING ABOUT
WHEN SOMEONE IS GOING THROUGH
THE CHECK BOX OF A FEATHER
ALERT. IT MEANS SO MUCH MORE TO
INDIAN PEOPLE FOR THE FIRST TIME
IN THE STATE'S HISTORY, HAVE A
FEATHER ALERT THAT'S SUPPOSED TO
MOVE FORWARD AND BASICALLY IN
THE EYES OF A LOT OF PEOPLE
SOLVE THE PROBLEM. BUT YET WHEN
THERE'S ROADBLOCKS WHEN SOME ARE
ASKING FOR IT, AND IT'S DENIED
WITHOUT AN EXPLANATION THAN
PEOPLE REVERT BACK TO, UM HOW
IT'S ALWAYS BEEN. AND WHAT GOT
US TO THIS POINT AGAIN,
CALIFORNIA'S NUMBER FIVE OF ALL
THE STATES IN THE NATION, UM, OF
NOT INVESTIGATING AND NOT MOVING
FORWARD ON MISSING AND MURDERED
NATIVE AMERICAN PERSONS, NATIVE
AMERICAN WOMEN. BUT IT ALSO, UM
CONTINUES. TO LEAD THE WAY IN A
DISCUSSION IN TRYING TO BRING
COLLABORATION FORWARD. WE DID
HEAR THAT THERE IS SOME GREAT
RELATIONSHIPS WITHIN AREAS OF
THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA, AND WE
STILL KNOW THAT THERE'S STRAINED
RELATIONSHIPS WITH LOCAL LAW
ENFORCEMENT AND TRIBAL
GOVERNMENTS. HOW DO WE MOVE
FORWARD? THERE'S BEEN
RECOMMENDATIONS FOR US TO LOOK
AT AS FAR AS HAVING A DIRECT
LINE TO COMMISSIONER CHP. UM.
BUT WE KNOW THAT IN SOME AREAS,
UM LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT ARE THE
FIRST ONES ON SCENE THAT COULD
PROVIDE VITAL INFORMATION WITHIN
THAT 1ST 24 HOUR, UM, SETTING SO
HOW DO WE MOVE FORWARD? UM AND
LOOKING AT THIS? CERTAINLY WE'RE
HERE TO MOVE FORWARD AND TO HEAR
IDEAS OF HOW WE COULD BETTER
WORK TOGETHER. UM, WOULD IT BE,
UM, SOME TYPE OF EDUCATIONAL
TASK FORCE SO THAT OFFICERS NOW
OUR DEPUTIES? NO UM,
COMMISSIONER CHP OFFICERS KNOW
THAT WHEN YOU'RE GOING THROUGH
THAT CHECKBOX EVERY CHECK
THERE'S A PART OF HISTORY THAT
YOU'RE YOU'RE UNRAVELING,
PULLING BACK THAT ONION ON. UM
SO HOW DO WE MOVE FORWARD? AND I
WANT TO THANK YOU FOR BEING
HERE. I MEAN, SHERIFF HANSA.
WE'VE BEEN OUT AND COYOTE VALLEY
. WE'VE BEEN DOWN IN FRESNO.
WE'VE BEEN DOWN AND I THINK IN
AL A, UM DOWN IN THOSE AREAS,
TRYING TO GET THE WORD ON OUT ON
THE IMPLEMENTATION OF WEATHER
ALERT. AND THE ARSENAL THE TOOL
THAT'S THERE. SO THIS HEARING IS
MEANT TO BRING ALL THAT INTO
PERSPECTIVE, SO THAT WE COULD
ALL UM WORK TOGETHER AND TO PATH
OF, UH, OF COURSE FORWARD TO
ENSURE THAT THE REASON FOR THIS
BILL IS ULTIMATELY DOING. WHAT
IT WAS IMPLEMENTED TO DO, AND
THIS IS THE FIRST YEAR THAT
WE'RE COMING BACK AND REFINING
THIS BILL AND MY COLLEAGUES ARE
HERE TO SEE THAT RIGHT? WE
IMPLEMENTED A BILL. FEATHER
ALERT. WE'VE SEEN IT WORK. THERE
WAS FIVE CASES THAT WERE THAT
WERE REQUESTED TO WERE
IMPLEMENTED. THREE WERE DENIED
AND AGAIN WHEN YOU USE THAT WORD
DENIED, IT MEANS SO MUCH. TO
CALIFORNIA'S FIRST PEOPLE. SO
RECOMMENDATION WAS REASONS WHY
IT'S DENIED THOSE TYPES OF
ISSUES. BUT WE DO KNOW BECAUSE
OF THE STATISTICS FROM THE LAST
PANEL THAT THERE IS FAR MORE, UM
ISSUES AFFECTING CALIFORNIA'S
FIRST PEOPLE THAT AREN'T EVEN
BEING REPORTED, AND THAT COULD
THAT CENTER AROUND MISTRUST AND
RELATIONSHIP BUILDING. SO I
WANNA TURN THIS OVER AND HAVE
OUR FIRST SPEAKER. UM YOUR
TRIBAL POLICE CHIEF GREGOR YOUR
O'ROURKE. I AGREE. IT'S GROWING
UP. CONNECT NOW. GREGOR ARC.
GOOD MORNING. HELLO. MY NAME IS
GREGORY WORK, AND I AM THE
TROUBLE POLICE CHIEF FOR THE
YUROK TRIBAL POLICE DEPARTMENT.
I'M HUMBLED TO BE HERE. OKAY I'M
HUMBLED AS A AS A EUROPE TRIBAL
MEMBER AND A NATIVE MAN TO BE
ABLE TO BE HERE AND HELP
ADVOCATE FOR MY PEOPLE AND
NATIVE PEOPLE UP AND DOWN THE
STATE, AND I'M ALSO HUMBLED AS A
LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICER TO BE AT
A TABLE WITH SUCH INFLUENTIAL
PEOPLE WITHIN MY PROFESSION. SO
THANK YOU, FOR INCLUDING ME ON
THIS. WE'VE HEARD IN PRIOR
TESTIMONY WHEN IT COMES TO
TRAUMA AND THE IMPACT ON THAT IT
TOOK, HOWEVER, GENERATIONS OF
CONFUSION OF ANGER OF HURT OF
DYSFUNCTION WITHIN NATIVE
COMMUNITIES TO FINALLY IDENTIFY
AND ARRIVE AT SOMETHING THAT WE
CAN FINALLY LABEL TRAUMA. HMM.
AND IT TOOK US AS NATIVE PEOPLE
TO BE HYPERCRITICAL AND
INTROSPECTIVE AND LOOK AT US TO
SEE AND I MAKE THAT
IDENTIFICATION. BUT NOW THAT WE
DID THAT THIS FUNCTION IS NO
LONGER A SOURCE OF SHAME, AND
IT'S NO LONGER A SOURCE OF
EMBARRASSMENT OR GUILT. WE CAN
ACTUALLY CLEAN ON TO TRAUMA. AND
BEING TRAUMA, INFORMED AND
STRATEGIZE. HOW TO DEAL WITH
THAT. AND SO TODAY AS LAW
ENFORCEMENT. WE ALSO NEED TO
LOOK AT OURSELVES AND APPLY THAT
SEEM HYPER CRITICAL
INTROSPECTION AND TO HOW WE CAN
MAKE THIS PARTICULAR
LEGISLATION. MORE EFFECTIVE SO.
ONE OF THE BASIC CONCEPTS AND
LAW ENFORCEMENT THAT WE LEARNED
VERY EARLY ON IS THE LETTER OF
THE LAW VERSUS THE INTENT OF THE
LAW. AND I THINK THAT ONE OF THE
THINGS THAT HAS BEEN REALLY
MISSING IS THE INTENT OF THIS
LEGISLATION. THE INTENT OF THE
LEGISLATION IS TO PROVIDE LAW
ENFORCEMENT TOOL SO WE CAN TAKE
AN ACTIVE ROLE IN STOPPING A
CRISIS THAT'S IMPACTING PEOPLE
UP AND DOWN THE STATE AND HAVING
A GREAT IMPACT ON A COMMUNITY
THAT HAS HISTORICALLY BEEN
UNDERSERVED AND DISENFRANCHISED
FROM THE STATE. A COMPONENT OF
THAT IS AT OUR LEVEL
UNDERSTANDING. AND EMBRACING A
TRAUMA INFORMED APPROACH TO
POLICING TRAUMA. INFORMED CARE
IS NOT A NEW CONCEPT. BUT YET
WITHIN LAW ENFORCEMENT CIRCLES,
A TRAUMA INFORMED POLICING
APPROACH IS STILL NEW. ONE OF
THE THINGS THAT I HEAR, AND I
GET FRUSTRATED ABOUT AND I GET
ANGRY ABOUT. AND PLEASE I DON'T
I DON'T WANT TO SEEM LIKE I'M
IMPUTING ANY OF MY COLLEAGUES
BECAUSE I KNOW HOW TOUGH THIS
JOB IS. AND THE CHP HAS A VERY
POWERFUL BURDEN. TO BE THE ONES
TO DETERMINE WHAT MEETS
CRITERIA, ESPECIALLY WHEN A
FAMILY IS GRIEVING AND SCARED.
IT'S WORRIED UM, THAT'S A VERY
POWERFUL BURDEN UPON THEM, BUT I
THINK THAT WE ALSO DID NOT DO
CHP S SERVICE PROVIDED BY BY
PROVIDING RELEVANT TRAINING TO
AN UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT'S
CAUSING THIS THAT TRAUMA. WE DID
NOT PROVIDE A TRAUMA INFORMED
POLICING APPROACH TO THIS ONE OF
THE PRINCIPLES AND PRINCIPLES
DON'T CHANGE TACTICS. CHANGE
PRACTICES CHANGED. PRINCIPLES
ARE FOUNDATION. THEY DON'T
CHANGE. ONE OF THE PRINCIPLES OF
TRAUMA INFORMED AS TO NOT RE
TRAUMATIZE THE VICTIM OR THE
FAMILIES. BUT YET WHEN A FAMILY
WHO WAS SCARED HEARS FROM THE
CHP, THE ENTITY WHO IS THE ONE
GATEKEEPING THIS THAT YOUR
SISTER CHOOSES TO BE MISSING.
THAT IS HURTFUL. IT IS HARMFUL
AND NOT ONLY RE TRAUMATIZES A
FAMILY IT REACHED DRAMATIZES AN
ENTIRE COMMUNITY AND REINFORCES
THE MISTRUST THAT NATIVE PEOPLE
HAVE TO LAW ENFORCEMENT. THAT'S
NOT OKAY. THAT'S NOT OKAY. YOUR
TRIBE. DID ISSUE OUT OF FEATHER
ALERT THAT WAS SUCCESSFUL. AND
SOME OF THE OBSERVATIONS THAT
I'VE SEEN FROM THAT FEATHER
ALERT WERE BETWEEN MY DEPARTMENT
, SOCIAL MEDIA PAGE, THE EUROPE
TRIBES SOCIAL MEDIA PAGE, WE HAD
NEARLY 1000 SHARES OF THIS
FEATHER ALERT CHP WERE ABLE TO
ACTUALLY GET OVER 2000 SHARES.
THAT'S IMPRESSIVE. AND I THINK
THAT WHAT THAT DOES IS, IT
HIGHLIGHTS THAT US AS NATIVE
PEOPLE WE WORK TOGETHER. OUR
COUNTRY, NATIVE COUNTRY IS
SMALL. AND WE'RE NOT BOUND BY
JURISDICTIONAL CONFINES LIKE LAW
ENFORCEMENT IS. WE HAVE SHERIFFS
HERE FROM SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA. I
GUARANTEE YOU I GOT RELATIONS IN
RIVERSIDE COUNTY. THAT'S JUST
ME. INDIAN COUNTRY IS SMALL. AND
SO BY SEEING THE AMOUNT OF
SHARES REALLY DID HIGHLIGHT THAT
THERE IS A POTENTIAL ALLY WITH
THE COMMUNITY WITH NATIVE
COMMUNITY TO BE ABLE TO HELP GET
THAT WORD OUT IF WE COULD WORK
TOGETHER, BUT IN ORDER TO WORK
TOGETHER, WE HAVE TO BE ABLE TO
EXEMPLIFY AND INSTITUTE A TRAUMA
INFORMED OF POLICING APPROACH TO
A COMMUNITY THAT HAS AND IN HIS
TROUBLED WITH THE HISTORIC AND
INTERGENERATIONAL TRAUMA JUST BY
BY NATURE OF WHO WE ARE AND
BEING BORN. IT'S INSTILLED. THAT
NEEDS TO BE RECOGNIZED AT A
PROFESSIONAL LEVEL. ONE OF THE
THINGS THAT WE SEE ABOUT INDIAN
COUNTRY AND YOU KNOW, ONE AND
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE HEAR
ABOUT FROM CHP IS THEY DON'T
WANT TO OVER INUNDATE THE
COMMUNITY WITH WITH ALERTS, BUT
YET INDIAN COUNTRY IS SMALL. WHY
DO THEY GET TO MAKE THAT
DETERMINATION FOR US? I DON'T
UNDERSTAND THAT. YOU KNOW, I
WITH THE EDUCATIONAL COMPONENT
FOR FEATHER ALERT FOR THE PAST
YEAR AND I'VE BEEN FORTUNATE TO
TRAVEL TO DIFFERENT LOCATIONS
WITH THE ASSEMBLYMEMBER'S RAMOS
TO BE ABLE TO HELP EDUCATE AND
SO I HAVE SEEN AND HEARD CHP'S
PRESENTATION FOR WHAT THEY CAN
DO WHAT THE ALERT SYSTEM AND IT
IS ABSOLUTELY ASTOUNDING. IT IS
SO IMPRESSIVE OF WHAT CHP CAN DO
. BUT I NEVER HEARD WHAT CHP
WILL DO. AND WHEN YOU'RE
PRESENTING TO A COMMUNITY OF
WHAT YOU CAN DO THAT PROVIDES
HOPE. THAT PROVIDES AND TELLS
THE COMMUNITY THAT WE FINALLY
HAVE AN ALLY THAT'S WILLING TO
LISTEN TO US. BUT YET WHEN THAT
COMMUNITY GOES TO THAT SAME WILL
DO. VERY DIFFERENT THAN WHAT
THEY CAN DO, AND IT JUST AGAIN
REINFORCES THAT AND SO AYE.
AGAIN I WANT TO REEMPHASIZE THAT
I'M NOT HERE TO IMPORTUNE THE
WORK OF OFFERS MY COLLEAGUES. IT
IS A TOUGH JOB, BUT WE DO HAVE
TO GET BETTER. ALL OF US HAVE TO
GET BETTER. YOU KNOW, PART OF
THAT IS WE HEARD TESTIMONY ABOUT
LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT AND
WORKING WITH LAW ENFORCEMENT
LOCAL ENFORCEMENT TO BE ABLE TO
GET A CHP ENACTED. BUT ONE OF
THE THINGS THAT I FIND REALLY
INTERESTING IS OUT OF 109 TRIBES
IN IN THE STATE ABOUT A THIRD
HALF A TRIBAL POLICE DEPARTMENT
BUT THEY'RE NOT LOCAL LAW
ENFORCEMENT BECAUSE THEY'RE NOT
CODIFIED OR RECOGNIZED ANYWHERE
IN CALIFORNIA STATUTE AS LAW
ENFORCEMENT. SO THEY'RE NOT
CONSIDERED LAW ENFORCEMENT AND
AGAIN THAT SYSTEMIC ISSUE. JUST
BY THE NATURE OF THE SYSTEM IS
TELLING NATIVE PEOPLE WHO ARE
EXERCISING THEIR INHERENT
AUTHORITY BY IMPLEMENTING A
TRIBAL POLICE DEPARTMENT TO
PROTECT THEIR CITIZENSHIPS THAT
THEY DON'T COUNT. WE DON'T
COUNT. THAT'S NOT RIGHT. WE WERE
ABLE TO GET VICTORIES LIKE
FEATHER ALERT WERE ABLE TO GET
VICTORIES LEGISLATIVELY LIKE
MAYBE 44 WITH A B 44. IT REALLY
IS GOING TO OPEN UP AN AVENUE
FOR PARODY FOR TRIBES BECAUSE
TRIBAL COURTS AND TRIBAL POLICE
NOW WILL HAVE ACCESS TO MUMPS,
WHICH IS THE CALIFORNIA DATABASE
FOR MISSING PERSONS. WILL BE
ABLE TO, ACTUALLY, UH, ACCESS
THAT THROUGH KLUTZ. BUT YET. WE
STILL NEED TO BE ABLE TO WORK
WITH THE CHP ON THE ON FEATHER
ALERT. AND SO IN CLOSING TO
ANSWER YOUR QUESTION
ASSEMBLYMEMBER'S WHAT CAN WE DO?
YOU'VE HEARD TESTIMONY FROM
FAMILY MEMBERS FROM TRIBAL
ADVOCATES ABOUT THE TRAUMA
WITHIN NATIVE COMMUNITIES, AND
WE HEARD A RECOMMENDATION FROM
THE A G S OFFICE ABOUT
IMPLEMENTING TRAUMA INFORMED
APPROACH TO POLICING AND THAT
NEEDS TO OCCUR NOT ONLY AT THIS
LEVEL I FEEL FORTUNATE TO BE
ABLE TO SIT AT THIS TABLE WITH,
UM AGAIN INFLUENTIAL PEOPLE IN
THE PROFESSION AND THEY'RE HERE
TO MAKE THIS CHANGE. BUT AS A
HEAD OF A DEPARTMENT I DON'T
ALWAYS KNOW THE DAY TO DAY, BUT
MY OFFICERS ARE DOING AND I'M A
SMALL DEPARTMENT. SO NOT ONLY AT
THIS LEVEL DO WE NEED TO
IMPLEMENT CHANGE AND INTRODUCED
COMMON FOREIGN POLICING, BUT
ALSO AT THAT VERY BASIC LEVEL AT
THE POLICE ACADEMY LEVEL TO BE
ABLE TO WORK WITH POST TO
INCLUDE TRAUMA INFORMED
POLICING. INTO A POST CURRICULUM
, AND IF WE CAN GET THAT ON THE
STATE, THEN IT'S JUST NOT
ISOLATED TO A SINGLE ACADEMY.
THEN THAT MEANS EVERY SINGLE
ENTITY WITHIN THE STATE THAT HAS
A POLICE ACADEMY WILL BE
REQUIRED TO TEACH TRAUMA
INFORMED AND TRAUMA. INFORMED
POLICING DOESN'T JUST
NECESSARILY IMPACT TRIBAL
COMMUNITIES. IT IMPACTS ALL
COMMUNITIES OF COLOR. ALL THIS
IN FRENCH CAN DISENFRANCHISED
COMMUNITIES. BECAUSE WE'RE ALL
ROOTED IN TRAUMA AND HAVING AN
UNDERSTANDING OF THE IMPACTS OF
TRAUMA IN THE COMMUNITY, HOW IT
MANIFESTS ITSELF AND THE IMPACT
OF TRAUMA IN THE INDIVIDUAL AND
HOW THAT MANIFESTS ITSELF IS
GOING TO GIVE US A BETTER AVENUE
TO ESTABLISH RAPPORT AND TRUST.
WHAT THE PEOPLE IN WHICH WE
SWORE TO SERVE AND PROTECT. AND
ULTIMATELY, THAT'S WHAT WE AS
COPS WANT. WE WANT TO BE ABLE TO
BE THERE. WHEN THEY CALL THANK
YOU. THANK YOU SO MUCH, UM,
CHIEF O'ROURKE. NEXT WE'LL HEAR
FROM HUMBOLDT COUNTY SHERIFF AND
THE STATE SHERIFFSASSOCIATION
TRIBAL A ASCENTS, SHERIFF
HANSEL. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
REMEMBER ALMOST POWERFUL
TESTIMONY. CHIEF FORK REALLY
APPRECIATE YOUR PARTNERSHIP AND
FRIENDSHIP. AND, UM AND I THINK
IT'S IMPORTANT TODAY WHAT WE'RE
DOING HERE. UM ARE WE ARE WE
MOVING THE NEEDLE ON THIS RIGHT?
A LOT OF STEPS HAVE BEEN MADE. I
DON'T GET TO DETERMINE WHETHER
OR NOT THE NEEDLE'S MOVING. YOU
DON'T GET TO OUR COMMUNITY RIGHT
. THAT DETERMINES WHETHER NOT
THAT NEEDLE'S MOVING. WE ARE
TAKING STEPS IN THE RIGHT
DIRECTION, BUT I THINK IT'S VERY
IMPORTANT THAT WE EVALUATE THOSE
STEPS TO MAKE SURE THAT THE
COMMUNITY ACTUALLY IS RISK IS
SEEING THE DIFFERENCE OUT THERE,
SO THIS GIVES US AN OPPORTUNITY
AND ALWAYS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR
REFLECTION. AS LONG ENFORCEMENT
PROFESSIONAL AND SHERIFF TO SEE
HOW WE CAN DO STUFF BETTER. I'D
LIKE TO SAY THAT WE'RE DOING IT
100% OF THE TIME, THE BEST WE
CAN DO, BUT REALITY IS THAT
WE'RE NOT AND SO IT GIVES US AN
OPPORTUNITY TO MAKE CHANGES
LOCALLY AND ALSO ON THE STATE
LEVEL. SO I DO APPRECIATE THAT.
YOU KNOW SOME OF THE THINGS THAT
WE'VE HEARD TODAY. AND COULD YOU
SEE HERE TODAY, YOU KNOW WITH
DOJ AND THE CHP COMMISSIONER IS
THAT THEY HAVE THE SAME
MENTALITY. AND WE HEAR THE CHP
COMMISSIONERS SAY TODAY THAT YOU
KNOW THOSE THOSE THOSE ONES THAT
ARE ON THE CUSP. YOU KNOW THAT
WE'RE GOING TO MOVE THOSE
FORWARD AND WE'RE GONNA WE'RE
GONNA MAKE THAT DETERMINATION
THAT YOU KNOW WE'RE GOING TO AIR
ON THE SIDE OF CAUTION, SO TO
SPEAK, AND PUSH OUT THAT
INFORMATION, SO I APPRECIATE THE
COMMISSIONER SAYING THAT I CAN
APPRECIATE DEPARTMENT JUST IS
LOOKING AT OUR DOJ MISSING
PERSONS FORM AND HOW WE COLLECT
DATA. YOU KNOW, WE SEE OUR
NUMBERS GOING THE OPPOSITE WAY,
BUT I THINK THOSE NUMBERS ARE
GOING TO CONTINUE TO GO THE
OPPOSITE WAY. REMEMBER BECAUSE
OUR DATA IS GOING TO GET BETTER.
WE KNOW THAT THERE'S MISSING
PERSONS INDIGENOUS, MISSING
PERSONS HAPPENING ALL THROUGHOUT
THE STATE THAT ARE NOT
DOCUMENTED CORRECTLY. SO I THINK
YOU KNOW, WE HAVE TO LOOK AT
THAT DATA A COUPLE DIFFERENT
WAYS. THAT WE'RE DOING OUR JOB
GETTING OUT THERE CHANGING THE
FORM. WE ARE DOCUMENTING WHETHER
OR NOT SOMEONE HAS A TRAVEL
AFFILIATION AND PUTTING THE
ABILITY TO MULTI RACE UM, FORM,
YOU KNOW, CHECKBOX THERE SO WE
CAN DETERMINE, YOU KNOW, UM, THE
NATIVE AMERICAN POPULATION THAT
DO TURN MISSING THAT THAT THEY,
YOU KNOW, FIT THIS CRITERIA, SO
I THINK THAT'S IMPORTANT ASPECT
HERE. ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE
TALKED ABOUT AS WELL IS YOU KNOW
THAT THE TRIBE'S ABILITY TO
REACH DIRECTLY OUT TO CHP AND TO
REQUEST A FEATHER ALERT AND SO
THAT'S YOU KNOW, THAT'S
SOMETHING THAT THAT CAN BE
DISCUSSED. BUT THEY ALSO HAVE TO
HAVE THE ABILITY TO TAKE A
MISSING PERSON'S INVESTIGATION.
YEAH, AND YOU KNOW THIS. THIS
ASSEMBLY HAD AN OPPORTUNITY WITH
8044 TO HAVE TRAVEL POLICE BE
CERTIFIED UNDER POST UM AND WE
MISSED THAT OPPORTUNITY LAST
YEAR, AND I KNOW THAT THAT'S
SOMETHING THAT'S STILL PRESSING
FORWARD, BUT THAT CAN HELP IN
THESE CIRCUMSTANCES. CHIEF
O'ROURKE TRAVEL POLICE IS POISED
WITH ALL THE RIGHT POST
CERTIFICATIONS THAT THAT HIS AND
HIS DEPARTMENT HAVE WORKING AS A
RESERVE DEPUTY SHERIFFS UNDER
THE HUMBLE COUNTY SHERIFF'S
OFFICE AND THE DON'T WORK,
COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE. YOU
KNOW THEY'RE POISED. UM TO BE
THAT MODEL DEPARTMENT THAT CAN
THAT CAN DO THIS, AND I HAVE
FAITH FOR FAITH THAT THEY CAN DO
A WELL GREAT JOB FOR THEM. UM
YOU KNOW WE'RE GOING TO CONTINUE
TO DO PUBLIC EDUCATION HERE.
THROUGHOUT THE STATE, THE STATE
SHERIFF'S ARE COMMITTED TO
PROVIDING PUBLIC EDUCATION TO
GET OUT THERE AND TO KNOW THAT
THIS IS A TOOL THAT WE CAN USE.
WE OFTEN SAY WHEN WE GO OUT, WE
DO NEIGHBORHOOD MEETINGS AND
THAT KIND OF STUFF IS WE WANT
PEOPLE TO REPORT SUSPICIOUS
ACTIVITY. HMM IT'S PART OF THEIR
CRITERIA HERE THAT WHEN SOMEONE
IS MISSING UNDER SUSPICIOUS
CIRCUMSTANCES THAT THIS IS ONE
OF THE ELEMENTS THAT CAN BE
DETERMINED. WHAT SUSPICIOUS TO
YOU AND YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD MAY
NOT BE SUSPICIOUS TO ME DRIVING
THROUGH YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD. SO WE
HAVE TO ACKNOWLEDGE. OKAY THAT
THE NATIVE AMERICAN COMMUNITY
AND WHAT THEY DETERMINED IS
SUSPICIOUS IS WE HAVE TO TAKE IT
AS FACE VALUE. WE HAVE TO SAY
THIS IS SUSPICIOUS. THIS IS THE
REASONING. IT MAY NOT BE YOUR
REASONING OR MY REASONING. BUT
AS A LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCY, I'M
GOING TO TAKE THEIR WORD FOR IT.
THAT THIS IS SUSPICIOUS, AND I'M
GONNA I'M GONNA SAY THAT THAT IS
AS A VALID CRITERIA. SO I THINK
THAT'S REALLY IMPORTANT THAT WE
HAVE TO DO. WE HAVE TO PROVIDE
CHP WITH A SET OF CRITERIA
BECAUSE THEY'RE WORKING WITH
WITHIN THIS CRITERIA AND THIS
SUBJECTIVE SO WE HAVE TO
PROVIDE. YOU KNOW IF YOU BELIEVE
THERE NEEDS TO BE A LEGISLATIVE
FIX AND FURTHER DEFINE THOSE
THINGS, THEN I WOULD ENCOURAGE
THAT SO CHP HAS, YOU KNOW REALLY
DEFINED, YOU KNOW? UM,
DEFINITIONS FOR THESE. ONE OF
THE THINGS THAT I WANT TO DO IS
I WANT TO TALK ABOUT A SUCCESS
STORY, OK? AND YOU KNOW, ONE OF
THE FIRST FEATHER ALERTS THAT
WENT OUT WAS OUT OF HUMBOLDT
COUNTY, AND IT WAS A 34 YEAR OLD
NATIVE AMERICAN WOMAN FROM THE
BEAR RIVER TRIBE. FAMILY CALLED.
SHE HAD A HISTORY OF MENTAL
ILLNESS. I'M GOING TO CALL HER
MRS. C OKAY, SO MRS C. HAD A, UM
, A HISTORY OF DRUG ABUSE MENTAL
ILLNESS, UM, AND ALSO HAD A
PREVIOUS TIME WHERE WHERE SHE
VANISHED. AND THEN WAS FOUND
HERE IN SACRAMENTO IN THE BURN
WARD. HMM HMM. SO THE FAMILY WAS
VERY UM, YOU KNOW, SHE CHECKS IN
ALL THE TIME AND ALL OF A SUDDEN
SHE WENT OFF THE RADAR. THEY
COULDN'T FIND HER. THEY SPELL A
MISSING PERSONS REPORT. TWO
WEEKS LATER. UM ARE MISSING
PERSON INVESTIGATOR CALLED THE
FAMILIES A HEY, HAS SHE REPORTED
? NO SHE HASN'T. WE'RE VERY
CONCERNED. SHE HASN'T CAST HER
CHECKS. SHE DOESN'T HAVE A
CELLPHONE. ACTUALLY HER WALLET
WAS FOUND UP IN TRINIDAD. YOU
KNOW, THERE'S ALL THESE
SUSPICIOUS SERVICES WERE
CONCERNED, AND OUR INVESTIGATORS
SAID, WELL, THERE'S THIS FEATHER
ALERT THAT WE'RE GOING TO TRY.
WHEN TRYING TO PUSH A FEATHER
ALERT OUT, YOU KNOW, STATEWIDE
SO WE CAN GET HER IMAGE HER NAME
OUT THERE. SHE'S IN THAT SHE'S
IN A MISSING PERSON'S DATABASE
OF ANY LAW ENFORCEMENT CONTACTS
ARE THEN YOU KNOW THEY'RE GOING
TO HAVE IT. YOU KNOW, FLASH UP
THERE. WE DID OUR DUE DILIGENCE.
WE WORKED WITH THE TRIBE. WE
MAKE SURE THAT YOU KNOW
EVERYTHING WAS WAS DONE RIGHT?
WE CONTACT THE CHP, AND IT WAS
THE VERY THING LIKE THE VERY
FIRST ONE. SO WE WERE WORKING
THROUGH SOME THINGS. THANKFULLY
WE DID GET IT. GET IT APPROVED
INFORMATION WENT OUT IN NORTHERN
CALIFORNIA, AND THEY APPROVED IT
TO BE IN SACRAMENTO FROM THAT
PREVIOUS HISTORY. AND TWO WEEKS
AFTER THAT, LOW AND BEHOLD, SHE
WAS FOUND IN FOLSOM BY CHP. SO
IT DOES WORK. IT DOES WORK. UM
AND YOU KNOW WE HAVE, YOU KNOW,
AND IT ALSO INSTILLS THAT TRUST
IN OUR COMMUNITIES OUT THERE
THAT WE DO CARE WE DO HERE WE DO
LISTEN, AND THAT WE ARE GOING TO
PULL OUT ALL STOPS UNDER THE LAW
TO MAKE SURE THAT INFORMATION IS
SHARED PROPERLY SO WE CAN, UM
SAFELY BRING OUR LOVED ONES
HOME. UM. I THINK THAT'S ALL MY
NOTES. SO I REALLY APPRECIATE
BEING HERE TODAY. AND I'M HERE
TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS LATER.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU SO MUCH.
SHERIFF FONSO FOR THAT, UM, NEXT
, WILL HAVE SAN FRANCISCO POLICE
COMMISSIONER CINDY ALICE, UM,
SHARE WITH US. THANK YOU. THANK
YOU, ASSEMBLYMAN RAMOS. THANK
YOU SO MUCH FOR INVITING ME TO
PARTICIPATE IN THIS IMPORTANT
DISCUSSION AND TOPIC. UM ALSO,
THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING ME TO BE
UP HERE WITH MY ESTEEMED
COLLEAGUES. I AM NOT A POLICE
OFFICER. MY NAME IS CINDY ELIAS.
I AM A SAMPLE. I'M THE PRESIDENT
OF THE SAN FRANCISCO POLICE
COMMISSION. I'M A LAWYER BY
TRADE COMMISSIONER. I AM
RESPONSIBLE FOR CREATING POLICY
AND DISCIPLINE FOR THE SAN
FRANCISCO POLICE DEPARTMENT. SO
I COME TO YOU WITH THE
PERSPECTIVE WITH A POLICY
PERSPECTIVE IN TERMS OF CREATING
POLICY AND MAKING SURE THAT IT
WORKS. AND FROM A POLICY
PERSPECTIVE, IT'S IMPORTANT THAT
IT'S CLEAR IT'S INFORMATIVE AND
WE HAVE BUY IN. UM I CAN. WOW
YOU WITH WORDS. I CAN IMPRESS
YOU WITH MY GRAMMAR AND I CAN
MAKE IT LOOK GREAT ON PAPER. BUT
IF IT DOESN'T WORK BY THOSE THAT
HAVE TO IMPLEMENT IT, IT MEANS
NOTHING. AND SO WHEN I GO AND I
MAKE POLICY, THOSE ARE THE
THINGS THAT I KEEP IN MIND TO
MAKE SURE THAT THE PEOPLE WHO
ASKED HAVE TO GO OUT DAY IN AND
DAY DAY IN AND NIGHT TO MAKE
THIS POLICY WORK. IT'S
FUNCTIONAL, LOGISTICALLY WORKS,
AND IT'S COMMON SENSICAL. SO
THOSE ARE THINGS THAT WE HAVE TO
MAKE SURE THAT WE KEEP IN MIND
WHEN WE'RE MAKING POLICY AND
WRITING POLICY FOR THOSE TO
IMPLEMENT. ANOTHER VERY
IMPORTANT PIECES BUY IN FROM
OFFICERS AND THOSE THAT ARE
IMPLEMENTING IT. AND WHAT DOES
THAT MEAN? WE NEED TO EDUCATE
THEM, AND WE NEED TO EMPOWER
THEM WITH THE TOOLS THEY NEED IN
ORDER TO IMPLEMENT THIS POLICY
ON PAPER, AND SO THAT'S REALLY
IMPORTANT. I THINK THAT IN ORDER
FOR US TO DO THAT IS ONE OF THE
THINGS THAT YOU'VE DONE, WHICH
IS NOT ONLY WRITING LEGISLATION
BUT MAKING SURE YOU COME BACK
AND MAKE SURE IT WORKS. AND SO
FAR MY POLICY PERSPECTIVE THAT'S
IMPORTANT FOR US, TOO, BECAUSE
WE GET A LOT OF COMPLAINTS ABOUT
WHAT WE HAVE TO TRACK THINGS AND
WE HAVE TO CUT DATA. BUT IT'S
THAT DATA AND THOSE THAT
INFORMATION THAT WE COLLECT.
THAT REALLY HELPS US. UM STEER
WHERE WE NEED TO GO IN THE
FUTURE. ONE OF THE THINGS YOU
ASKED, IS MOVING FORWARD. HOW DO
WE COME UP WITH SOLUTIONS OR
MAKE IT BETTER? AND I THINK THAT
MOVING FORWARD COLLABORATION IS
KEY, BUT NOT ONLY WITH LAW
ENFORCEMENT PARTNERS BUT WITH
COMMUNITY IN SAN FRANCISCO. WE
HAVE THE ABILITY THAT WHEN WE
WRITE POLICY WE POSTED ON THE
WEBSITE AND COMMUNITY MEMBERS,
RESIDENTS, POLICE OFFICERS,
ANYONE AND EVERYONE CAN VIEW THE
POLICY BEFORE IT'S IMPLEMENTED
AND ADD THEIR INPUT. AND IT'S
IMPORTANT BECAUSE WE ALL COME
HERE WITH DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVES
AND DIFFERENT BACKGROUND. SOUNDS
AND DIFFERENT EXPERIENCES AND
WHAT MAY SEEM GOOD TO ME ON
PAPER AS A POLICY MAKER MAY NOT
BE FUNCTIONAL FOR OTHER LAW
ENFORCEMENT OFFICIALS WHO HAVE
TO IMPLEMENT IT, AND SO I THINK
THAT THAT'S VERY, VERY IMPORTANT
THAT WE HAVE THAT COLLABORATION.
HEARING THE TESTIMONY TODAY AND
EDUCATING MYSELF. IT SEEMS THAT
THE WHAT'S ALSO IMPORTANT MOVING
FORWARD IS THAT WHEN WE CREATE
THIS POLICY AND IN SAN FRANCISCO
, THE MISSING PERSON, UM, POLICY
IS UP FOR REVIEW. IT WAS LAST
REVIEWED IN 1999. SO THIS IS
WHAT GUIDES ARE POLICE OFFICERS
DAY TO DAY ON HOW TO HANDLE
THESE TYPES OF SITUATIONS AND
HEARING FROM TESTIMONY FROM MS
OPINION, OTHER ONES OTHER
INDIVIDUALS THAT HAVE COME
BEFORE YOU TODAY HAS INFORMED ME
THAT THERE ARE TWO AREAS THAT WE
REALLY NEED TO ADDRESS, WHICH
ARE SUBJECTIVITY AND ALLOWING
SAFEGUARDS IN THE POLICY TO
ENSURE THAT WHEN SOMEONE COMES
AND MAKES A MISSING PERSONS
REPORT WE ADDRESSED EITHER
CONSCIOUS OR UNCONSCIOUS BIAS
THAT MAY EXIST. WE RECOGNIZE
THAT THE. TRAUMA THAT EXISTS
GENERATIONAL TRAUMA AND BEING
TRAUMA INFORMED ALSO TO THE
CULTURAL COMPETENCE THAT REALLY
NEEDS TO BE THERE IN ORDER TO
MOVE THIS WORK FORWARD. BECAUSE
I KNOW WHAT MY LOVED ONE IS
LIKE. AND I KNOW YOU KNOW THEIR
THEIR TENDENCIES AS THIS OTHER
PEOPLE. BUT WHEN I HAVE TO
EXPLAIN THAT TO SOMEONE WHO HAS
NO KNOWLEDGE OF THAT PERSON OR
WHY YOU AS THEIR LOVED ONES FEEL
LIKE THEY'RE IN DANGER, AND YOU
TRY TO ARTICULATE THAT TO THE
PERSON WHO IS GOING TO
ULTIMATELY DECIDE WHETHER OR NOT
THEY MEET THIS CRITERIA THAT CAN
BE VERY FRUSTRATING AND VERY
TRAUMATIZING. AND AS MY
COLLEAGUES HAVE INDICATED, WE
THE GOAL IS NOT TO RE TRAUMATIZE
PEOPLE BUT TO UNDERSTAND AND HOW
DO WE MOVE FORWARD? SO I THINK
THAT HAVING BAD INFORMATION IN
MIND HAVING THIS EDUCATION
BEHIND US HAVING THIS AWARENESS
REALLY HELPS IN TERMS y
MAKING AND ENSURING THAT WHEN WE
CREATE POLICY, WE ADDRESS SOME
OF THE CITY. THESE ISSUES THAT
HAVE ARISEN I AM TOLD THAT THE
CHP PORTAL THAT OUR DEPARTMENT
HAS WITH CHP IS VERY EFFECTIVE
IN TERMS OF BEING EFFICIENT AND
BEING ABLE TO CHECK BOXES AND
GET THE INFORMATION EXCHANGED
BETWEEN AGENCIES. UM WORKS VERY
WELL. SO I'M HAPPY TO HEAR ABOUT
THAT. BUT I'M ALSO HAPPY TO KNOW
THAT, UM, SPEAKING WITH YOU AND
YOUR STAFF THAT YOU WILL BE
HOPEFULLY COMING TO SAN
FRANCISCO VERY SOON TO EDUCATE
US ON THE FEATHER ALERT AND
PROVIDING US MORE INFORMATION SO
THAT WE CAN MOVE FORWARD IN
TERMS OF GETTING THIS IMPORTANT
INFORMATION OUT THERE. SO THANK
YOU AGAIN FOR YOUR TIME AND
INVITATION TODAY. THANK YOU SO
MUCH, AND IT'S TRUE THAT A LOT
OF NATIVE AMERICAN PEOPLE DO
LIVE IN URBAN AREAS IN THE STATE
OF CALIFORNIA. THERE WERE STILL
BATTLING MISCONCEPTIONS. UM FOR
MANY IN THE STATE. THINK THAT
ALL NATIVE AMERICAN PEOPLE LIVE
ON FAILURE, INDIAN RESERVATIONS
OR COMMUNITIES, BUT THE OVER 70%
LIVE WITHIN URBAN COMMUNITIES,
RURAL COMMUNITIES IN THE STATE
OF CALIFORNIA. SO THANK YOU FOR
YOUR TESTIMONY. UM AND WITH THAT
SAN DIEGO IS A HIGH POPULATION
AREA OF NATIVE AMERICANS IN THAT
AREA, AND SO I WANT TO WELCOME
SHERIFF KELLY MARTINEZ TO OFFER
US SOME TESTIMONY. THANKFULLY
THANK YOU, ASSEMBLYMEMBER'S
RAMOS AND SELECT COMMITTEE
MEMBERS OR MEMBER UM, I
APPRECIATE BEING HERE TODAY
BECAUSE WE DO HAVE A LARGE
NATIVE AMERICAN POPULATION IN
SAN DIEGO COUNTY 18 RESERVATIONS
IN OUR REGION. AND ONE THING
THAT IS UNIQUE TO SAN DIEGO
COUNTY THAT I'VE NOTICED AS I'VE
TRAVELED NOT ONLY AROUND THE
COUNTRY, BUT AROUND THE STATE IS
THAT LAW ENFORCEMENT AND OUR
TRIBAL COMMUNITIES. WE WORK
REALLY WELL TOGETHER. WE
COMMUNICATE WELL TOGETHER, WE
HOLD NUMEROUS MEETINGS AND
SYMPOSIUMS AND OPPORTUNITIES FOR
US TO COMMUNICATE WITH EACH
OTHER AND TRAIN TOGETHER. AH MY
DEPARTMENT OFFERS A PUBLIC LAW
280 CLASS THAT'S GIVEN ONCE OR
TWICE A YEAR. UH THERE'S
CULTURAL COMPETENCY ASPECT TO
THAT TRAINING AND THAT IS
INFORMED BY OUR TRIBAL COMMUNITY
MEMBERS AS WELL AS WE HAVE
TRIBAL COURT IN THE ROOM. WE
INVITE OUR TRIBAL LAW
ENFORCEMENT TO THAT TRAINING.
IT'S NOT JUST LAW ENFORCEMENT.
ONE THING THAT I DO KNOW ABOUT
SAN DIEGO COUNTY, THOUGH, IS
THAT THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT
AND SHERIFF'S DEPUTIES ARE THE
ONES WHO ARE MOST FAMILIAR WITH
OUR TRIBAL COMMUNITIES. AS YOU
SAID, A LOT OF TRIBAL MEMBERS DO
NOT LIVE ON THE RESERVATIONS.
AND SO THAT LEAVES 18 CITIES IN
MY JURISDICTION. UH POLICE
OFFICERS AND DEPUTIES
FORTUNATELY WORKING NINE OF
THOSE KINDS OF THOSE CITIES, BUT
THE OTHER NINE DO NOT HAVE ANY
TOUCH POINT OR CONTACT WITH
TRIBAL COMMUNITIES. SO WE WORKED
VERY HARD TO EDUCATE OUR LOCAL,
STATE AND FEDERAL PARTNERS. THE
U. S ATTORNEY'S OFFICE HAS BEEN
AMAZING, AS WELL AS THE DISTRICT
ATTORNEY'S OFFICE AND
COLLABORATING WITH US ON THAT
TRAINING TO INFORM. WE REALLY
LEANED INTO THIS FEATHER ALERT
ONCE THIS BILL PASSED, AND I
THINK WE'VE DONE SOME GREAT
TRAINING IN THE REGION. UM THE
COUPLE OF GAPS THAT I'VE SEEN
IS, AS WE'VE STATED BEFORE, IS
THAT PEOPLE DON'T ALWAYS
IDENTIFY THE MISSING PERSON AS
INDIGENOUS WHEN THEY'RE REPORTED
STATED CHULA VISTA POLICE
DEPARTMENT OR ONE OF OUR OTHER
AGENCIES, SO KNOWING THAT IT'S
AN INDIGENOUS PERSON, AND THAT
THEY MAY QUALIFY FOR A FEATHER
ALERT IS IMPORTANT FOR US, AND
THAT'S UM THAT MAY BE TRAINING
COMMUNITY AS MUCH AS LAW
ENFORCEMENT TO ASK THOSE
QUESTIONS OR TO LEAN INTO THE
YOU KNOW, BEING A LITTLE BIT
MORE INFORMED ON WHAT THAT MIGHT
LOOK LIKE. THE OTHER, UM THING
THAT I WOULD I'M HEARING TODAY
AND I REALLY APPRECIATE
EVERYONE'S TESTIMONY. IT'S BEEN
VERY INFORMATIVE. BUT I WOULD I
WOULD URGE THIS COMMITTEE NOT TO
BE TOO QUICK TO IMPLEMENT A
SYSTEM OF REPORTING DIRECTLY TO
CHP. I THINK THAT WOULD PUT MORE
RISK TO THE MISSING PERSON. I
THINK WE NEED TO INSTEAD LEARN
HOW TO BUILD THAT TRUST BETTER
BECAUSE THE AGENCY THAT'S
RESPONSIBLE FOR THAT MISSING
PERSON INVESTIGATION WHICH
POTENTIALLY COULD BE A CRIMINAL
INVESTIGATION AND KIDNAPPING,
HUMAN TRAFFICKING, DRUG
TRAFFICKING. ANY NUMBER OF OTHER
THINGS UP TO HOMICIDE REALLY IS
NOT THE HIGHWAY PATROL AND TO
MUDDY THE WATER, SO TO SPEAK.
THAT INVESTIGATION WOULD PUT
MORE RISK TO THE PERSON MORE
RISK TO AN INVESTIGATION AND
MORE RISK TO SUCCESSFUL
PROSECUTION. SO I THINK WE NEED
TO HAVE MORE CONVERSATIONS
SURROUNDING THAT. UM I'M VERY
SUPPORTIVE OF OUR TRIBAL POLICE
PARTNER. LAW ENFORCEMENT
PARTNERS SICK. JUAN HAS BEEN THE
GOLD STANDARD IN A LOT OF WAYS
FOR LAW ENFORCEMENT, TRIBAL LAW
ENFORCEMENT IN THE STATE. FIRST
WEDNESDAY KLUTZ ACCESS. UM I
SUPPORTED THE BILL TO PROVIDE
MORE POST TRAINING OR POST
CERTIFICATION AND THINGS LIKE
THAT FOR TRIBAL POLICE. SO I
THINK THAT'S IMPORTANT. WE HAVE,
UM TO TRIBAL POLICE DEPARTMENTS
IN SAN DIEGO COUNTY THAT ARE I
WOULD ARGUE ARE JUST AS
PROFICIENT AS ANY OTHER LAW
ENFORCEMENT ENTITY IN THE REGION
. SO UH, TO THAT END, THE MORE
THAT WE CAN EMPOWER OUR TRIBAL
POLICE. I THINK THAT'S A GOOD
THING. THANK YOU. THANK YOU SO
MUCH FOR THAT. AND THANK YOU FOR
BRINGING UP THE PL 280 CLASS AND
I HAVE A QUESTION ON THAT ONCE
WE GET DONE WITH THE TESTIMONY,
UM, OUR NEXT SPEAKER, LOS
ANGELES POLICE DEPARTMENT
COMMANDER J MASTIC. WE WERE DOWN
IN THAT AREA AND WE BROUGHT TO
LIGHT THAT CALIFORNIA IS HOME TO
MORE NATIVE AMERICANS THEY HAVE
STATE IN THE NATION. AND CLOSE
TO 50% LIVE WITHIN THAT AREA IN
THAT THAT YOU REPRESENT THAT
APPEARED TODAY AND EVEN THAT WAS
EYE OPENING TO SOME LAW
ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS IN THAT
AREA. UM WE HAD AT AT THIS
IMPLEMENTATION WE HAD L, A
COUNTY SHERIFFS AND, UM, L A
CITY POLICE THERE, AND WE
BROUGHT THAT STATISTIC FORWARD,
AND IT WAS KIND OF EYE OPENING
FOR THEM. SO WE BELIEVE YOU KNOW
THE IDENTIFICATION
MISCLASSIFICATION. THOSE TYPES
OF THINGS ARE IS SOMETHING THAT
WE NEED TO WORK ON. BUT THANK
YOU FOR BEING HERE AND THANK YOU
FOR OFFERING TESTIMONY. GO
AHEAD. EVEN RAMOS. A FEW THINGS
TO COVER, AND I THINK, UH, MY
PRIOR. LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICIALS
SHOULD COVER IT. UM. TWO
CHALLENGES. I SEE. I'M GOING TO
GO INTO HIM. JUST A LITTLE BIT,
UH, ARE THE CLASSIFICATION OF
FOLKS WHO WERE REPORTED MISSING
AS WELL AS THE CRITERIA USED FOR
THE FEATHER ALERT AND I'LL GO
INTO IT WITH MY EXAMPLE. UH UM.
AS SHERIFF MARTINEZ HAD
INDICATED, UH, THE PRIMARY
RESPONSIBILITY IS THE LOCAL LAW
ENFORCEMENT AGENCY. WHO'S GOING
TO TAKE THAT FIRST RADIO CALL
EXCEPT THAT MISSING PERSONS
REPORT AND HOPEFULLY LOCATE THEM
SAFELY AND RETURN THEM TO THEIR
FAMILY. UM THE FEDERAL ER IS A
TOOL. IN A WHOLE HOST OF
HOLISTIC, COMPREHENSIVE
STRATEGIES TO ULTIMATELY LOCATE
THAT PERSON. UM SO AS THE
SHERIFF HAD HAD MENTIONED, I
DON'T THINK TAKING THE LOCAL
POLICE OUT OF THAT EQUATION IS
NECESSARILY THE RIGHT STRATEGY
TO DO IT. I BELIEVE THAT
STRATEGY WE HAVE IN PLACE WILL
PROVE TO BE EFFECTIVE AS YOU HAD
INDICATED. L A IS THE HOME OF
THE VERY LARGE NATIVE AMERICAN
COMMUNITY. WE HAVE 327 WITH AN
L. A COUNTY. I WORK FOR THE CITY
OF LOS ANGELES AND JUST IN TERMS
OF OVERALL MISSINGS REPORTED IN
L, A COUNTY MISSING PERSONS.
2023. WE HAD 3800 AND 25 IN
TERMS OF NATIVE AMERICANS
REPORTED MISSING WE HAD 52 WOMEN
AND ONE MAN 2022. WE HAD 3800
AND 95. AND SIX OF THOSE TOTAL
OR NATIVE AMERICANS, THREE MEN
AND THREE WOMEN. AND THEN IN
2021. WE HAD 3723 TOTAL
MISSINGS. UH WITH FOUR NATIVE
AMERICANS. THREE FEMALE AND ONE
MALE. AH IN THE COURSE OF 2023.
WE DID MAKE ONE OF THE ONE
ATTEMPT TO REPORT ONE OF OUR
MISSING PERSONS. UH, IN IN THE
FEATHER ALERT SYSTEM. WE WERE
ONE OF THOSE THREE ATTEMPTS THAT
WERE DENIED BEFORE CASTING TOO
MUCH. UM CRITICISM ON THE CHP.
I'LL WORK YOU THROUGH MY EXAMPLE
AND YOU'LL SEE WHY IT'S NOT SUCH
A CLEAR CUT ISSUE. AH ARE
SUBJECT HAD COME TO LOS ANGELES
FOR, UM DRUG ABUSE
REHABILITATION, UH AND
VOLUNTARILY SIGNED THEMSELVES
OUT UNDER NO SUSPICIOUS AROUND
USUAL CIRCUMSTANCES OTHER THAN
THE SUBSTANCE ABUSE ISSUE. UH
ULTIMATELY WAS REPORTED MISSING
TO MY DEPARTMENT. UH ON THE 14TH
OF DECEMBER, AND IN FACT, IN
PREPARATION TO COME HERE, I
SPOKE WITH MY INVESTIGATOR FROM
MISSING PERSONS. AND I SAID, HOW
DID THAT HOW DID THE ENTIRE
THING GO DOWN WHERE WE DENIED SO
WE WALKED THROUGH IT AND THE
CRITERIA WAS THE HOLDUP IN THIS
CIRCUMSTANCE, AND HE SAID HE
PUSHED FOR IT. HE CALLED THE CHP
AND HE TRIED, BUT BEFORE I
CRITICIZE THEM TOO MUCH. THE
CRITERIA TO APPROVE WAS
UNEXPLAINED OR SUSPICIOUS
CIRCUMSTANCES AND THE SCENARIO I
JUST GAVE YOU IT'S A JUDGMENT
CALL. IT WAS A JUDGMENT CALL WAS
A JUDGMENT CALL BY THE CHP
OFFICER WHO TOOK THE CALL. SO
SUFFERING FROM ADDICTION,
SUBSTANCE ABUSE. BUT CHECK THEIR
CHECKED. HERSELF OUT. UNDER NO
UNUSUAL CIRCUMSTANCES. NO NO
DANGEROUS CIRCUMSTANCES. UH IT
WAS A SUCCESS STORY. IT'S KIND
OF A MIXED STORY BETWEEN THE
FEATHER ALERT. WE DID LOCATE HER
SAFELY, UM, A FEW WEEK AND A
HALF LATER AND RETURNED HER TO
HER FAMILY. UM, BUT THE TOTAL
STRATEGY TO THIS IS NOT JUST THE
FEDERAL. IT'S AN EFFECTIVE TOOL,
BUT IT'S NOT JUST THE FEATHER
ALERT. IT IS SOCIAL MEDIA. IT IS
THE COMPLETION OF THAT INITIAL
MISSING PERSONS REPORT. IT IS
CANVASSING THE AREA. IT IS
GETTING WORD OUT. IT IS ALL
THOSE THINGS THAT GO ALONG WITH
IT. UM AND SO SOCIAL MEDIA WAS A
PIECE OF OUR STRATEGY THAT
ULTIMATELY WAS SUCCESSFUL
DESPITE HAVING NOT BEEN APPROVED
FOR THE FEDERAL ERT. AH, UM.
IDENTIKIT ID THAT CLASSIFICATION
CRITERIA CLASSIFICATION. THE
INITIAL MISSING PERSONS REPORT
WHEN IT WAS INITIALLY COMPLETED.
AH IT WAS ENTERED IN THE SYSTEM
AS A WHITE PERSON. SO IT WASN'T
AFTER A SECOND PHONE CALL TO
FOLLOW UP TO CHECK OFF ALL THESE
BOXES. WE DETERMINED IT WAS A
NATIVE AMERICAN AND CHANGE THAT
MISSING PERSON CLASSIFICATION
AND RE ENTERED IT INTO KLUTZ AS
A AS A MISSING PERSON, SO I
THINK THOSE ARE THE TWO BIG
CHALLENGES MOVING FORWARD. I
THINK ITS CLASSIFICATION OF THE
FOLKS ON THE MISSING FORUM.
EDUCATION BY LAW ENFORCEMENT TO
KNOW WHAT TO ASK FOR THE
COMMUNITY PIECE AS WELL. UM AS
WELL AS THE CRITERIA AND IT'S
SUBJECTIVE, SO I DON'T WANT TO.
BE TOO HARSH ON THE CHP. THERE'S
BEEN A LOT OF CRITICISM LATE ON
THE CHP THIS MORNING. UM BUT
IT'S A POLICE OFFICER ANSWERING
THAT PHONE. WHEN THROUGH THE
CRITERIA THAT'S NOT AS CLEAR CUT
AS IT SEEMS. UM AND IT IS
SUBJECTIVE. SO I DO THINK THE
FEATHER ALERTS INEFFECTIVE TOOL,
ESPECIALLY WHEN IT GETS APPROVED
IN IT, AND IT'S USED, BUT
EVERYTHING DOESN'T IT'S NOT ALL
ON FEATHER ALERT. YES OR NO.
IT'S ALL ON LOCAL POLICE, WHO
HAS THE INVESTIGATION,
INVESTIGATIVE STRATEGIES.
RESOURCES APPLIED TO THE PROBLEM
UNLESS IT RESTS ON THAT. IT'S A
BIGGER PICTURE THAN JUST FEATHER
ALERT. YES, NO. AND UH, THAT'S
ALL I HAVE. I'M CERTAINLY OPEN
ANY QUESTIONS. YOU'RE GONNA HAVE
TO THANK YOU FOR THAT. AND FOR
THAT TESTIMONY AND FEATHER ALERT
IS ONE TOOL. UM AND IN THAT
SENSE. UM THE FEATHER ALERT
COULD BE VIEWED AS A LAST, UM,
CASE SCENARIO BECAUSE LOCAL LAW
ENFORCEMENT OR THE 911 CALL
COULD COME OUT. THE WHOLE HOPE
IS TO GET THAT INDIVIDUAL. UM
START THAT UP. GET THEM HOME
BEFORE YOU HAVE TO IMPLEMENT THE
FEATHER ALERT. BUT WE ALSO KNOW
THAT THERE'S AREAS THAT WE WANT
TO ADDRESS AND TO LOOK AT, UM
NOT SURE IF SOME OF YOUR MATH
HAS HAD ANY QUESTIONS BEFORE I
RIGHT? I THINK THE BIGGEST THING
. IT GOES FROM IT BEING
SUBJECTIVE TO A SOMETHING. AND
WHAT MECHANISM RIGHT IS YOUR
TESTIMONY WITH WE CAN WRITE THE
MOST BEAUTIFUL LAWS IN THE
BOOKS, BUT THE MECHANICS DON'T
WORK. IT'S WORTH NOTHING. AND
HOW DO WE MECHANICALLY IN THE
POLICY. TAKE IT FROM SUBJECTIVE.
Tð ASSUMPTA. SO WHEN THEY'RE
CHECKING THE BOXES, THEY
WHOEVER'S CHECKING ON NOSE TO
ASSUME. THIS IS GONNA GO THIS
DIRECTION. BECAUSE THE SOONER
THAT'S DONE, THE SOONER WE KNOW
FORCES ARE IMPLEMENTED IN GOING
OUT TO HELP. AND SO IT'S FOR ME.
IT'S. WHERE'S THAT LITTLE PART
THAT CLEARLY SOMETHING NEEDS TO
BE CHECKED. SOMETHING NEEDS TO
BE FIXED. WHERE THEY KNOW IN
THEIR MINDS THAT IT'S KIND OF
FLICK THAT SWITCH. HEY CHECK
THIS BOX, WHICH IS GOING TO OPEN
UP THE RESOURCES TO GO OUT AND
GET THE HELP THAT'S NEEDED. UM
WE SEE IT ALL THE TIME. AND IS
IT IS IT A YOU KNOW MY QUESTION
FOR ALL OF YOU IS THAT BOX IS
THAT THE THING THAT NEEDS TO BE
CHANGED ON THE MECHANICS. IS IT
A TRAINING ELEMENT? IS IT? A.
INUIT BY WHAT I MEAN BY TRAINING
TO IS ALSO WE DO THESE THINGS
FOR, SAY, SCHOOL SHOOTING DRILLS
AND OTHER THINGS WHERE, YOU
KNOW, DO WE NEED TO IMPLEMENT
THERE WILL BE A FEATHER ALERT
TRAINING DRILLS, IS IT IS IT
SOMETHING THAT NEEDS TO BE
WORKED INTO IT? AND YOU KNOW,
BECAUSE THAT GOES INTO THAT
EDUCATION SIDE AS WELL. SO IT'S
HOW DO YOU MAKE SURE THAT WHEN
IT HAPPENS? IT'S A SOMETHING AND
IT'S GOING TO BE TRIGGERED AND
IT'S GOING TO MOVE. BECAUSE IT'S
WE'RE TALKING ABOUT SAVING
LIVES. AND SO WHEN IT COMES TO
LIFE SAVING AND MAYBE IT'S
BECAUSE I WAS A LIFEGUARD ALL
THROUGH MY TEENAGE YEARS IN A
COMBAT GUY FOR EVER AND THEN NOW
HERE, BUT IT'S MINUTES AND
SECONDS COUNT. SO WHEN WE'RE
TALKING ABOUT WEEKS. AND WE KNOW
THESE THINGS. TAKE TIME TO TRACK
PEOPLE DOWN AND FIND OUT WHAT'S
GOING ON. BUT THE SOONER WE GET
THAT YOU KNOW, THE TESTIMONY
THAT YOU SHARED WAS. IT WASN'T
THE FIRST TIME BUT WE HAD TO DO
A FOLLOW UP CALL AND THEY GO.
OH, IT'S AN INDIGENOUS PERSON.
IT'S. YOU IRON OUT THE MISTAKES
THROUGH TRAINING, BUT YOU ALSO
IRON THEM OUT THROUGH THE
POLICIES. ON WHAT YOU'RE GOING
TO TRAIN ON. AND IN THE MILITARY
. WE WORKED ON STANDARD
OPERATING PROCEDURES AND IT WAS
ALWAYS OKAY. HOW DO WE HOW DO WE
WRITE THE PROCEDURE? BETTER SO
WE KNOW AND TRAIN THE PROCEDURE.
BETTER SO WE KNOW WHEN THIS
HAPPENS, THIS IS WHAT WE DO, AND
YOU'RE ALWAYS DOING THE AFTER
ACTION REVIEWS, WHICH IS PART OF
WHAT WE'RE DOING HERE TODAY TO
SEE HOW WHERE DO WE FIX THAT
LITTLE THING IN THE POLICY AND
HOW WE TRAIN? TO DO BETTER SO
BACK TO YOU AND I SAW THE HAND
UP HERE SO YEAH, I APOLOGIZE.
JUST REFLECTING AS YOU WERE
SPEAKING THAT THERE'S I THINK
PART OF THE QUESTION IS THE
TRAUMA INFORMED PEACE AND FOR US
FROM A LAW ENFORCEMENT
PERSPECTIVE, A LOT OF TIMES OF
BOND, THE VOLUNTARINESS OF THE
MISSING ACT, RIGHT? UM SO I
THINK THAT'S PART OF WHAT PART
OF OUR SUBJECTIVE DECISION
MAKING IS WHEN WE DON'T SEE
ANYTHING UNUSUAL ABOUT SOMEONE
CHECKING OUT OF REHAB, BUT THE
FAMILIES CONCERNED BECAUSE OF
THEIR PAST. HABITS OR YOU KNOW
HOW HOW YOU KNOW THEY MAY BECOME
GRAVELY DISABLED BASED ON THEIR
SUBSTANCE USE DISORDER, SO I
DON'T I DON'T HAVE AN ANSWER
TODAY, BUT JUST ADDING THAT IS
MAYBE A LITTLE EXPLANATION.
WELL, I THINK IT'S ALSO THE
REALITY OF YOU KNOW FOR THE 911
DISPATCHER. THEY DON'T KNOW
ANYTHING THAT'S GOING ON. THEY
DON'T KNOW. YOU KNOW, IT'S WELL,
HERE'S MY SCREEN. HERE'S MY
CHECK BOX. AND WHAT AM I GOING
IN THE TRAINING THAT THEY HAVE?
FOR WHAT TO DO. AND, AS WE KNOW
FROM EARLY TESTIMONY TRIBES, NOT
ALWAYS CALLING 911. YOU KNOW,
THEY'RE CALLING THE LOCAL
ENFORCEMENT WHO'S THEN MAKING
ANOTHER PHONE CALL WHO'S NICK?
AND ANOTHER PHONE CALL? SO IT'S
YOU HAVE TWO DIFFERENT
DIRECTIONS. INFORMATION IS
COMING IN. AND SO IT'S HOW DO WE
DO BETTER TO MAKE SURE THAT
INFORMATION TO FASTER? ONE THING
THAT COMES TO MIND IS PERHAPS
HAVING ONE OF THE CRITERIA BEING
BASED UPON THE CALLER MAKING THE
REPORT RATHER THAN THE PERSON
RECEIVING THE REPORT BECAUSE, AS
THE CALLER YOU'RE FAMILIAR WITH
THE HISTORY, THE ADDICTION, THE
TRAUMA, AND SO IF I'M TELLING
YOU THAT I'M WORRIED, AND THIS
IS WHY I'M CALLING BECAUSE
THEY'RE MISSING, THEN MAYBE THAT
IS, UH, IT IS SUFFICIENT IN
TERMS OF SATISFYING THE CRITERIA
WHETHER THE PERSON IS IN DIRE
STRAIGHT OR IN IN HARM'S WAY OR
SUBJECT TO INJURY VERSUS THE
PERSON RECEIVING THE CALL. WHO'S
CHECKING THE BOXES? THAT SAYS
OKAY, THIS IS BASED ON THE
EXAMPLE THE COMMANDER GAVE THIS
IS A PERSON WHO LEFT REHAB. UM
WHICH MAY NOT HAVE ALL OF THE
INFORMATION NEEDED TO MAKE THAT
DECISION BECAUSE BASED ON THE
PERSON'S HISTORY AND ADDICTION
AND THINGS THAT THEY'VE GONE
THROUGH SO, PERHAPS ADDING A
CRITERIA BASED ON THE CALLER
RATHER THAN THE RECEIVER. YEAH
WELL IN THAT IT'S ONE OF THOSE
THINGS WHERE YOU GOT TO KIND OF
DISSECT THE PSYCHOLOGY OF THE
CALL, RIGHT? IT'S DOES THE
PERSON RECEIVING THE CALL NO TO
ASK AS THE PERSON CALLING, EVEN
NOTICE ANYTHING. WE JUST WENT
THROUGH THIS LAST YEAR WITH
VETERAN SUICIDE BILL FOR CALLING
988. IT'S WELL, HOW DO WE KNOW
IF THEY'RE A VETERAN OR NOT? WE
WANT TO GET THE DATA. WE WANNA
GET THEM HELP, BUT YOU KNOW,
SAME THING HERE. HOW DO WE KNOW
THEY'RE INDIGENOUS OR NOT? YEAH
I THINK IT'S I THINK IT'S
IMPORTANT QUESTION. BUT ALSO YOU
KNOW WHEN WE PUSH THIS
INFORMATION OUT, AND THEY TURN
OUT TO BE VOLUNTARILY MISSING
YOU KNOW WE'RE GOING TO PUT ALL
THIS EFFORT TOGETHER. WE CONTACT
THE INDIVIDUAL, THE DEPUTY THE
OFFICER CONTACTS THEM DETERMINES
THAT THEY'RE NOT A DANGER TO
THEMSELVES, NOT DANGEROUS.
OTHERS. THEY'RE NOT COMMITTED A
CRIME. WE'RE GOING TO TAKE HIM
OUT OF THE SYSTEM. AND WE'RE
GONNA REPORT BACK TO THE PERSON
WHO CALLED AND THAT REPORTING
PARTY SAID WE'VE LOCATED THEM.
THEY'RE FINE. THEY DON'T WANT TO
BE CONTACTED. AND THAT'S THAT'S
THE CASE. THEN IT SHUT DOWN AT
THAT POINT IN TIME, AND SO YOU
KNOW, IT'S WHATEVER SUBJECTIVITY
MAYBE YOU KNOW, HERE IN THE
LANGUAGE. ULTIMATELY AN OFFICER
IS GOING TO MAKE TERMINATION,
WHOEVER CONTEXT THAT THAT
INDIVIDUAL IS REPORTED MISSING,
AND IT'S GOING TO BE THEIR
DETERMINATION AT THAT POINT IN
TIME. YOU KNOW WHETHER OR NOT
THEY HAVE BEEN LOCATED AND THEY
ARE THERE. OKAY SO THERE'S A
THERE'S JUST SO MUCH TO GO INTO
THIS AND I KNOW AND THAT'S
THAT'S THE YOUNG, REBELLIOUS
ADULT TAKES OFF. AND ONCE THE GO
THROUGH THAT PART OF LIFE VERSUS
THIRD, I UNDERSTAND THAT HEARING
THE QUESTIONS COME UP AND SOME
OF THIS THE DIALOGUE AFTERWARDS.
I THINK ONE OF THE THINGS YOU
KNOW AGAIN AND I'LL REFER BACK
TO TRAUMA INFORMED APPROACH.
WE'VE SEEN A SUCCESSFUL APPROACH
OF TRAUMA INFORMED IN OTHER
AREAS, DOMESTIC VIOLENCE, SEXUAL
ASSAULT THOSE TYPES OF AREAS. UH
AND SO WITH THE IMPACT THAT
TRAUMA HAS A NATIVE COMMUNITIES.
REALLY EMBRACING, AND TRAINING
ADVOCATES THAT CAN SERVE AS A
LIAISON BETWEEN COMMUNITIES,
FAMILIES AND THEN LAW
ENFORCEMENT. ONE OF THE THINGS
THAT WE AS AS COPS HAVE TO BE
VERY, VERY CAUTIOUS OF IS MAKING
ASSUMPTIONS BECAUSE WHAT IF WE
ASSUME WRONG? AND THEN THAT JUST
DIVERTED SO MUCH EFFORT,
RESOURCES TIME AND ATTENTION?
TOWARDS AN ERRONEOUS PATH. SO
ONE THING TO LOOK AT, I THINK IS
MAKING USE OF ADVOCATES THAT CAN
PARTNER WITH LAW ENFORCEMENT AND
COMMUNITIES. BUT THANK YOU FOR
THAT, AND I JUST WANT TO WELCOME
SOME OF THE MEMBER WENDY CARILLO
HERE. AND WE'RE AT THE END OF
OUR PANEL AND LOOKING AT THE
DIFFERENT QUESTIONS. DO YOU HAVE
ANY COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS? THANK
YOU, MR CHAIR. UM WHILE I WAS
NOT HERE I WAS WATCHING FROM MY
OFFICE, THE HEARING AND THE
OTHER PANELS, AND I JUST WANT TO
THANK YOU FOR CONTINUING TO DO
THIS WORK. I JOINED THIS
COMMITTEE WHEN IT WAS FIRST WHEN
WE FIRST STARTED AND THE
PROGRESS THAT HAS BEEN MADE FOR,
UM, THIS PARTICULAR ISSUE IN
PARTICULAR, I THINK, UM SAYS A
LOT ABOUT THE STATE OF
CALIFORNIA, BUT ALSO CAN
CERTAINLY SET A TONE FOR THE
REST OF THE COUNTRY AS AS WE
MOVE FORWARD, AND SO I JUST WANT
TO THANK YOU AND I WANT TO GIVE
A SPECIAL RECOGNITION AND THANKS
TO OUR LAPD. DEPARTMENT THAT'S
HERE TODAY AS WELL FROM BEING A
LOS ANGELES MEMBER. WE HAVE A
LOT OF INDIGENOUS FOLKS AS WELL
IN OUR COMMUNITY AND
UNRECOGNIZED TRIBES. AND SO THIS
IS A BIGGER CONVERSATION. I
THINK IN TERMS OF THE HISTORY OF
THE UNITED STATES, BUT ALSO HOW
WE MOVE FORWARD, SO I JUST WANT
TO THANK YOU FOR YOUR YOUR
LEADERSHIP, YOUR COMMITMENT AND
TO ALL OF THE PANELISTS THAT
WE'RE HERE TODAY. THANK YOU.
THANK YOU SO MUCH.
ASSEMBLYMEMBER'S AND, UM SAN
DIEGO. SHERIFF MARTINEZ YOU
TALKED ABOUT, UM PUBLIC ACTUALLY
CLASSES WITHIN YOUR DEPARTMENT.
DO YOU FEEL THAT THAT THAT
THAT'S HELPFUL? UM WHEN DEALING
WITH TRIBAL ISSUES WITH WITH SO
MANY 18 RECOGNIZED TRIBES IN
YOUR IN YOUR AREA? YEAH. WE'VE
BEEN DOING THIS FOR ABOUT 15
YEARS. UM I WAS A TRIBAL LIAISON
FOR FORMER SHERIFF GORE. AT ONE
TIME. I GOT TO TRIBAL LATE, FULL
TIME TRIBAL LIAISON. AND THEN
EACH OF OUR CAPTAINS OR STATION
COMMANDERS, WHO ARE WITHIN A
TRIBAL AREA BECOME A LIAISON TO
THE TRIBES AS WELL. BUT A LOT OF
OUR DEPUTIES MYSELF INCLUDED HAD
NEVER BEEN ON AN INDIAN
RESERVATION IN THEIR LIFE. EVEN
THOUGH I GREW UP IN SAN DIEGO, I
WAS BORN IN SAN DIEGO, MOST OF
OUR COMMUNITIES OUTSIDE OF THE
TRIBES AREN'T EVEN AWARE THAT WE
HAVE 18 RESERVATIONS IN OUR
COUNTY, SO IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT
THAT WE UNDER THAT ARE THE
DEPUTIES WHO ARE WORKING IN
THOSE AREAS. AND THE DETECTIVES
AND OUR CHILD ABUSE DETECTIVE
HOMICIDE DETECTIVES, SO WE TRAIN
ANYONE WHO TOUCHES TRIBAL LANDS
ON OUR DEPARTMENT ON PUBLIC LAW
280 BUT ALSO BRING IN
REPRESENTATIVES FROM THE TRIBES
AND FROM TRIBAL COURT, AND, UH,
THE D. A S OFFICE IN THE U. S
ATTORNEY'S OFFICE. WE HAVE
TRIBAL POLICE WHO ARE THERE AS
INSTRUCTORS AND SOME OF OUR
OTHER TRIBAL LEADERSHIP THAT
COME IN. AND IT REALLY, UM JUST
EXPLAINS A LOT AND THEN WE HAVE
A VERY ROBUST TRAINING BULLETINS
AND THINGS LIKE THAT. WE HAVE A
WEBSITE FOR TRIBAL RESOURCES FOR
OUR DEPARTMENT MEMBERS THAT ALSO
ALSO EXPLAINS EACH RESERVATION
AND THE MAKEUP OF THE TRIBE AND
HOW LONG THEIR HISTORY AND ALL
OF THOSE THINGS, SO THERE'S
REALLY A LOT OF INFORMATION
AVAILABLE TO OUR DEPUTIES, AND
WE OFFER THAT WE PAY OVERTIME
FOR PEOPLE TO ATTEND. UM AND
ANYONE ON OUR DEPARTMENT CAN
ATTEND. BUT CERTAINLY ANYONE
WHO'S WORKING ON TRIBAL LANDS
HAS TO ATTEND. THANK YOU FOR
THAT. AND I KNOW, UM, SHERIFF
HANSEL, YOU'RE THE LATEST STANDS
WITH THE SHERIFF'S ASSOCIATION.
BUT HAVE WE REACHED THE POINT TO
WHERE? UM PUBLIC LAW 280 THE
CLASSES THAT MIGHT BE THERE ARE
TAKING PLACE IN SAN DIEGO, UM,
COULD RESONATE THROUGHOUT THE
WHOLE STATE OF CALIFORNIA.
ABSOLUTELY I THINK THAT'S PART
OF THE DOGS MANDATE TO MAKE SURE
THAT PUBLIC LAW 280 IS PART OF
THE TRAINING CRITERIA AND
CURRICULUM STATEWIDE. IT IS
SOMETHING THAT WE'VE LACKED. AND
SO I BELIEVE, WORKING WITH
DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE, WORKING
WITH POST AND ALSO OUR TRIBAL
COMMUNITIES TO ABOUT PUBLIC LAW
TO IT. IN THE EFFECT OF THAT,
YOU KNOW, IN EACH OF THE
RESERVATIONS IS VERY, VERY
IMPORTANT. UM, CULTURAL
COMPETENCY IN EACH COUNTY, WHERE
RESIDENTS RESERVATION ALLIES IS
REALLY IMPORTANT AS WELL AS JUST
IN GENERAL, UM THROUGHOUT THE
STATE OF CALIFORNIA, BECAUSE NOT
ALL COUNTIES HAVE A RESERVATION,
SO IT IS IMPORTANT AND THANK YOU
FOR BRINGING THAT AND BRINGING
THE MOST IMPORTANT, UH, PEOPLE
TO THE TABLE, THE TRIBAL PEOPLE
AS FAR AS HAVING THAT VOICE IN
PUBLIC LUNCH, WAITING THOSE
DISCUSSIONS THAT ARE THERE WE
HAVE TO MAKE SURE THAT'S FIRST
AND FOREMOST AND BUILDING THAT
RELATIONSHIP THAT'S THERE, AND
THAT'S DEALING WITH WITH COUNTY
SHERIFF'S THAT HAVE FULLY
RECOGNIZED TRIBES, TRIBAL
GOVERNMENTS, TRIBAL COMMUNITIES
IN THEIR JURISDICTION BUT GET
INTO THE URBAN COMMUNITIES AND
CITIES OF LOS ANGELES THAT MIGHT
NOT EVEN HAVE A I UNDERSTAND
THAT COMPONENT OF IT. I THINK IT
ACTUALLY WOULD ALSO BE, UM
EDUCATIONAL AND NEEDED IN THOSE
AREAS, ESPECIALLY WHEN WE'RE
TRYING TO IDENTIFY THAT OVER 70%
OF NATIVE PEOPLE LIVE OUTSIDE OF
THE RESERVATION BOUNDARIES, SO
IT WOULD BE IMPORTANT TO HAVE
THAT MOVING FORWARD, BUT IT ALSO
IS IMPORTANT TO, UM HEAR FROM
OUR FIRST PANEL, THE ATTORNEY
GENERAL AND THE COMMISSIONER CHP
THAT WE ARE WORKING TOGETHER TO
FIND TUNE. THE FEDERAL ALERT
THAT IS NEEDED AND IT'S ONE TOOL
THAT'S THERE. CERTAINLY THE
COMMISSIONER HAS STATED THAT
HE'S OPEN TO CRITICISM BUT ALSO
OPEN TO MOVING FORWARD. UM ROAD
THAT COULD BRING IMPLEMENTATION
AND BRINGING SAFE ONE SAFE LOVED
ONES BACK HOME, SO WE'RE GOING
TO CONTINUE TO WORK TO MAKE SURE
OUT OF THIS HEARING WHERE IT IS
THAT WE'RE HEADED. AND, OF
COURSE, THE ATTORNEY GENERAL'S
OFFICE. UM MAKING SURE THAT THEY
ARE ON TRACK TO REPORT BACK TO
THIS BODY ON THE FINDINGS THAT
ARE THERE IN THE VICTIM'S
SERVICES, I THINK IS IMPORTANT.
THE MENTAL HEALTH COMPONENT WE
CAN'T GET AWAY FROM THAT AND
ALSO PANEL TO BRING INTO
PERSPECTIVE. UM THE EXPECTATIONS
OF INDIAN COUNTRY WHEN THIS BILL
IS MOVING FORWARD. BUT YET WHEN
IT'S ASKED TO BE IMPLEMENTED,
YOU'RE DENIED. AND SO WHEN
YOU'RE DENIED, IT'S NOT JUST A
SIMPLE DENIAL. IT'S A WHOLE
HISTORY OF IMPACT FROM THE
UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT, THE
STATE OF CALIFORNIA THAT HAS
INFLICTED CALIFORNIA'S FIRST
PEOPLE, SOMEONE WHEN YOU'RE
TALKING AND CHECKING OUT THOSE
BOXES AS CHAIRMAN, JO JAMES
ALLUDED TO, IT'S MORE THAN JUST
CHECKING A BOX. IT'S A HISTORY
THAT WE'RE TRYING TO, UM ON
LAYER THROUGH ALL THESE
DIFFERENT AREAS, BUT THERE IS
ALSO, UM UM, THE INFORMATION
THAT WHEN, UM THERE IS DECLINING
OF A FEATHER ALERT THAT THERE
SHOULD BE AN EXPLANATION OF WHY
IT'S BEING DECLINED. CERTAINLY
UNDERSTANDING THAT THE FEATHER
ALERT IS LAST WORST CASE
SCENARIO, AND WE WANT LOCAL LAW
ENFORCEMENT TO START TO
INVESTIGATE WHEN THEY'RE CAUGHT
ON THAT 911 BUT ALSO LETTING
PEOPLE UNDERSTAND TRIBAL
GOVERNMENTS UNDERSTAND. WHY UM
FELL ALERT WAS NOT IMPLEMENTED
AND UNDERSTANDING FROM THE
COMMISSIONER THAT WE'RE GOING TO
BE LOOKING AT SOME OF THOSE
AREAS THERE. UM, AND HEARING
FIRST FAMILY TESTIMONIES MOVING
FORWARD, BUT WE HAVE A LONG WAY
TO GO TRYING TO UNLOCK A ER THE
RELATIONSHIP WITH THE STATE OF
CALIFORNIA WITH CALIFORNIA'S
FIRST PEOPLE FROM THE HISTORY.
ONSET FROM DIFFERENT SPANISH
INCURSIONS TO THE MEXICAN RULE
TO ULTIMATELY, THE GOLD RUSH
RULE TO THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA,
AND WE'RE STILL DEALING WITH
MISSING AND MURDERED NATIVE
AMERICAN PEOPLE HERE AT THIS
PANEL TRYING TO BRING IT FULL
CIRCLE WHERE YOU DO HAVE THE
COMMITMENT OF THE LEGISLATURE TO
RELOOK AT UM, THE FEATHER ALERT
BUT ALSO TO HEAR FROM THE VOICES
OF THE TRIBAL PERSPECTIVE AND
PUT THAT, UM REALLY, UM AT THE
FOREFRONT OF THE DISCUSSION AND
SEE HOW WE ALL CAN WORK TOGETHER
TO MOVE FORWARD. IT IS GOING TO
TAKE EACH AND EVERY ONE OF US
AND TOPICS ON THIS PANEL AND THE
PANELS PRIOR TO CONTINUE TO WORK
TOGETHER TO FIND TUNE THIS PIECE
OF LEGISLATION. TO MAKE
AMENDMENTS TO ENSURE THAT THE
FEATHER ALERT IN THE INTENT OF
IT TO BRING SAFE PEOPLE HOME
FROM CALIFORNIA'S NATIVE
AMERICAN POPULATION IS DOING
EXACTLY THAT. AND THAT'S WHY WE
WANTED TO HAVE THIS HEARING. UM
THE FIRST YEAR AFTER ITS
IMPLEMENTATION WE DO HAVE WORK
TO DO, BUT WE NEED PEOPLE AT THE
TABLE VOICES FROM ALL THE
DIFFERENT PANELS THAT WE'RE HERE
TODAY TO CONTINUE TO STAY
TOGETHER SO WE COULD FIND TUNE A
PIECE OF LEGISLATION THAT MAKES
THAT MEETS THE EXPECTATIONS OF
CALIFORNIA'S FIRST PEOPLE. THANK
YOU FOR ATTENDING. WE WILL MOVE
FORWARD INTO PUBLIC COMMENT.
THANK YOU. HMM. GO AHEAD,
SHERIFF. THANK YOU. CHAD BIANCO
OVERSIGHT COUNTY SHERIFF. I JUST
WANTED TO. I WANT TO KIND OF, I
HOPE SUMMARIZE WHAT HAS BEEN
SAID BY EVERYONE TODAY AND
POSSIBLY EVEN SUGGEST A QUICK
FIX AS A LEGISLATIVE BODY. UM I
HAVE NEVER THOUGHT OF THIS
BEFORE, AND I DON'T KNOW. I
DON'T KNOW WHERE SHE WENT, BUT
FROM THE POLICE COMMISSION ABOUT
HOW YOU WRITE SOMETHING, AND
MAYBE MAYBE MAYBE PERFECT ON
PAPER, BUT IMPLEMENTATION. IT
DOESN'T WORK OUT THE WAY THAT WE
WANTED IT TO RIVERSIDE COUNTY.
WE ARE RIGHT BEHIND SAN DIEGO
FOR THE LARGEST AMOUNT OF TRIBES
IN OUR IN OUR COUNTY. AND WE
HAVE A FANTASTIC RELATIONSHIP
WITH OUR TRIBES. AS IT RELATES
TO THIS LAST YEAR IN 2023. WE
HAD THREE. MISSING PERSONS FROM
TRIBAL LANDS THAT DID NOT MEET
THE REQUIREMENTS. I MEAN, WE
WENT OUT WE INVESTIGATED. WE
FOUND THEM, BUT THEY DIDN'T MEET
THE REQUIREMENTS FOR WHAT WE
CONSIDER A FEATHER ALERT AND IT
WAS NOT CALLED. WE DID NOT CALL
THE HIGHWAY PATROL. WE DID ONE
AND IT WAS. IT WAS DENIED
SIMILAR TO THE LOS ANGELES
POLICE. ONE. THE DIFFERENCE IN
WHAT WE ARE ALL TALKING HERE
TODAY IS, I THINK THE FAILURE OF
THIS LEGISLATION IS IT WAS A
PERFECT BILL. THAT WAS A PERFECT
LAW, BUT IT LUMPED IT. WITH THE
OTHER ALERTS, AND IT'S NOT THE
SAME. IT'S NOT WE CAN. WE CAN
ALL SAY I CAN TELL YOU THAT IF
SOMEBODY THAT'S 80 YEARS OLD
WITH DEMENTIA, THAT'S A SILVER
ALERT. IT'S A NO BRAINER. MY
CHILD BEING MISSING AND I DON'T
KNOW WHERE MY CHILD IS OR WHO
WAS KIDNAPPED. WE CAN ALL AGREE
THAT THAT'S WHAT THAT IS. THIS
IS NOT THE SAME, AND WE LUMPED
INTO THE SAME CRITERIA WITH THE
SAME PEOPLE HANDLING IT, AND I'M
NOT GOING TO CRITICIZE CHP. BUT
THE DIFFERENCE IN THIS IS THESE
RELATIONSHIPS THAT WE'RE TRYING
TO BUILD WITH OUR TRIBAL
COMMUNITIES AND FORGE THIS THIS
THIS TRAUMA HISTORY THAT WE'RE
TRYING TO GET PAST. WHEN THERE
IS A MISSING PERSON ON INDIAN
LAND, AND I'M ON THE PHONE WITH
THE TRIBAL CHAIR, AND MY DEPUTY
IS AT THE HOME WITH THE FAMILY
GETTING THE INFORMATION. THE CHP
OFFICER ON THE OTHER END OF THAT
LINE HAS NO PERSONAL BUY INTO
THAT. HE DOESN'T CARE THAT I'M
ON THE PHONE WITH THE TRIBAL
CHAIR. HE DOESN'T CARE AND
LISTEN TO. HE'S NOT LISTENING
DOES CARE. HE'S NOT LISTENING TO
THE FAMILY SAYING THAT THERE IS
SOMETHING WRONG. AND WHETHER IT
WAS THE LAPD CASE OR OUR CASE.
YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT. ONE FORCE
MINT OFFICERS THAT ARE
INVESTIGATING THESE MISSING
PERSON CRIMES AND WE ARE CALLING
TO IMPLEMENT A FEATHER ALERT AND
WE ARE DENIED. I DON'T KNOW THAT
THAT ASTOUNDS ME NOW. I'M NOT
GOING TO SAY IT'S UNIQUE TO THE
FEATHER ALERT BECAUSE WE HAVE
HAD AMBER ALERTS DENIED AND WE
HAVE HAD AND. SOMETIMES IT COMES
BACK TO THE ARGUMENT AND IT WAS
SAID TODAY ABOUT WE DON'T WANT
TO INUNDATE PEOPLE WITH IT.
MAYBE THE PROBLEM IS, WE'RE NOT
INUNDATING THEM WITH THE TRUTH.
AND IF WE WOULD, IF WE WOULD
REPORT WHY, WHY DO WE GET TO
DECIDE THAT ONE PERSON'S FEATHER
ALERT WAS GOOD ENOUGH TO
BROADCAST BUT ANOTHER PERSON'S
WASN'T AND NO DIFFERENT THAN ANY
OF THE OTHER ALERTS. BUT FOR
THIS PARTICULAR CASE, LET'S
REALLY EVEN PUT IT IN
PERSPECTIVE. THERE WAS ONLY
THREE THREE. HAD WE DONE THOSE?
FEATHER ALERTS. DOES THAT REALLY
INUNDATE THE SYSTEM OR PEOPLE
REALLY TONE DEAF TO THAT? IT'S
ONLY THREE I CAN TELL YOU AND I
GUARANTEE YOU ALL OF YOU ARE THE
SAME. WE'RE SITTING HERE WITH
OUR PHONES AND WE DRIVE AROUND
WITH OUR PHONES. AND WHILE WE'RE
DRIVING AND ARE WE ALL GET THE
SAME TONE WHEN THOSE THINGS GO
OFF. NOBODY'S IGNORING IT. WE
ALL LOOKED DOWN. WE ALL LOOK FOR
A LICENSE PLATE OR WE ALL LOOK
FOR A DESCRIPTION AND I COULD I
GUARANTEE YOU YOU ALL LOOK
AROUND TO SEE IF YOU FIND THAT
CAR OR DO YOU RECOGNIZE THE
PERSON THAT WE ALL DO IT? AND I
THINK FOR THIS PARTICULAR
FEATHER ALERT SYSTEM. I THINK
THAT THE LEGISLATIVE FIX WOULD
BE MORE OF A SHALL THAT WORDING.
ENTER IT INTO THE SYSTEM. WHEN
CAN WHEN CALLED BY LAW
ENFORCEMENT BECAUSE WE ARE THE
ONES THAT ARE ACTUALLY DOING IT
AND. I HAVE TO EMPHASIZE THAT IT
IT IS A TOOL WHERE DOING
EVERYTHING ELSE IN OUR POWER TO
LOCATE THOSE INDIVIDUALS AND WE
HAVE COME TO THE CONCLUSION THAT
NOW WE HAVE TO USE THIS OTHER
TOOL. WE'RE NOT JUMPING TO IT
FIRST. WE'RE NOT GETTING THAT
CALL OF A MISSING PERSON AND
SAYING OH, MY GOSH, WE NEED TO
MAKE A FEATHER ALERT. RIGHT THIS
SECOND. WE'RE GOING TO DO
EVERYTHING WE CAN TO LOCATE THEM
QUICKLY. MAKE SURE THEY'RE
MISSING. MAKE SURE YOU KNOW. CAN
WE DO THIS RELATIVELY QUICKLY OR
DO WE NEED MORE HELP? AND WHEN
WE HAVE DECIDED AS A LAW
ENFORCEMENT AGENCY THAT WE NEED
MORE HELP? THAT'S THE PURPOSE OF
THE FEATHER ALERT SYSTEM. SO IT
IS A PERFECT SYSTEM AND I'M NOT
CRITICIZING CHP FOR IT. I THINK
THAT IT WAS PUT IN THE WRONG IT
WAS LABELED WITH THE WRONG GROUP
THAT WE TREATED AT THE SAME AS
THOSE OTHERS INSTEAD OF PUTTING
THE HUMAN ELEMENT INTO IT OF
SEEING WHAT THE INTENT OF THE
LEGISLATION WAS FOR AND HANDLING
IT SEPARATE, SO THANK YOU. THANK
YOU. I'M SHERIFF BIANCO FOR THAT
TESTIMONY, AND THERE IS NODS UP
HERE AS FAR AS THAT WORD SHALL
IMPLEMENT, BUT WORKING TOGETHER
WITH ALL PARTNERS. IN THE STATE.
WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE
CONTINUING TO BUILD THAT
COLLABORATION. BUT THANK YOU FOR
THAT TESTIMONY. OUR NEXT TIME
PUBLIC SPEAKER. HI EVERYONE. UM
MY NAME IS JOY WRITEBOL CASTLE.
MY TRADITIONAL NAME IS OR YEAH,
WE WERE. WE WERE I COME FROM THE
OLD SAUSAGE, THE ABSENTEE,
SHAWNEE AND THE MUSCOGEE CREEK
PEOPLE. UM BUT I'M WHAT YOU CALL
AN URBAN INDIAN. I'VE BEEN
RAISED IN LOS ANGELES. HOWEVER I
HAVE ROOTS HERE TO SACRAMENTO.
MY FATHER IS RICHARD DEAN CASTLE
. MY MOTHER HAS ROSEMARY ROY
BALL. MY MOTHER WAS THE FIRST
CHICANO ON THE WHITE HOUSE. AND
SHE WORKED WITH REAGAN AS HIS.
AH! RIGHT HAND. AND THIS WAS IN
THE SEVENTIES. AND I SAY THIS TO
PREFACE MY COME FROM A FAMILY.
WHERE MY DAUGHTER WAS ABDUCTED.
ALSO WHILE WE LIVED IN L. A MY
DAUGHTER WAS BLESSED TO GET AWAY
. SHE FOUGHT TO PEOPLE AND GOT
AWAY. AND NOW MY BABY'S A
SERGEANT IN THE ARMY. AND SHE
DRIVES TANKS, TOO. UM SHE'S A
TANKER AND A GUNNER. UM. I ALSO
COME FROM FAMILY, UM, ON MY
MOTHER'S SIDE, THE GARCIAS WE'RE
MARSHALS. I COME FROM THE FAMILY
IF Y'ALL HAVE SEEN THE KILLER OF
THE FLOWER MOON RECENTLY. WITH
LEONARDO DICAPRIO AND ALL THE
AWARDS. IT'S GETTING THAT'S AN
MM I W SITUATION. THAT'S AN MM
EYEPIECE SITUATION. THERE'S
STILL HUNTING US TODAY. YOUR
POLICIES AND EVERYTHING HAVE
ALREADY BEEN WRITTEN BY WHAT
HAPPENED TO THE OLD PEOPLE. IT'S
ON SCREEN FOR YOU IF YOU'LL JUST
WATCH AND SEE THE LENGTHS THAT
PEOPLE WILL GO TO KILL US. THEY
WILL PUT THINGS IN OUR DRINK.
THEY WILL ENTICE US. THEY WILL
TAKE US BECAUSE FOR A LOT OF THE
TRIBAL PEOPLE AS SOON AS
SOMEBODY SAYS, OH, YOU'RE NATIVE
AMERICAN. YOU GET A CASINO, YOU
GET CASINO MONEY. THE RUMOR IS
THE SOUTHERN ONES DOWN IN
RIVERSIDE COUNTY. GET ABOUT
500,000 A MONTH. LET'S STAY ON
THE TOPIC. I'M STAYING ON TOPIC
BECAUSE THIS IS WHY THEY? MM I P
PEOPLE GO MISSING BECAUSE
THEY'RE HUNTING US AS INDIAN
PEOPLE. SO I SAY ALL THIS TO SAY
THAT THAT I APPRECIATE Y'ALL
COMING HERE AND DOING THIS. MY
BROTHER WAS FOUND DEAD IN THE
SACRAMENTO RIVER. I HAD TO COME.
LOOK FOR HIM. THERE WAS NO
FEATHER ALERT AT THAT TIME. WHEN
MY DAUGHTER WENT MISSING IN THE
STREETS OF L. A. I HAD TO GO
LOOKING FOR HER. THE COMMUNITY
HAD TO GO LOOKING FOR HER. WHEN
OUR RELATIVES ON THE OLD SAGE
RESERVATION WENT MISSING. THEY
CALLED AND THEY THEY PLEADED TO
THE FBI FOR HELP. AND THAT'S HOW
THE FBI WAS FORMED. WORD
PLEADING FOR HELP TODAY HERE IN
CALIFORNIA. AND IT CAN'T BE
BASED ON TRAININGS AND POLICIES
BECAUSE OUR PEOPLE MAY NOT BE
THERE TOMORROW AFTER YOU GET
YOUR TRAININGS AND POLICIES IN
PLACE. MY BABY WAS LUCKY TO GET
AWAY. MY BROTHER WASN'T AND
THAT'S WHY I WEAR THIS ON MY
HEAD. SO THANK YOU FOR LETTING
ME SPEAK TODAY. THANK YOU SO
MUCH ANY OTHER PUBLIC COMMENT?
COMMISSIONER. I DON'T KNOW. I
DON'T KNOW IF I HAVE ANOTHER
OPPORTUNITIES TO ADDRESS THE
GROUP S FOREVER. I JUST I JUST
WANT TO SAY I DON'T TAKE EVENTS
TO THE CRITICISM. WE WELCOMED
THE CRITICISM AND OUR GOAL IS TO
GET BETTER. AND I AGREE WITH THE
COMMENTS MADE BY MANY, UM AND
THEN THE COMMITMENT FOR ME IS
THE THINGS THAT I DO BELIEVE WE
COULD TWEAK THE LAW A LITTLE TO
MAKE IT BETTER, BUT THERE'S SOME
THINGS WE COULD DO INTERNALLY,
ESPECIALLY ON THE SUBJECTIVE.
ITEMS YOU KNOW TO SHERIFF
BIANCO'S POINT. YES THE LAW
ENFORCEMENT OFFICER THAT'S
PRESENT IS MAKING THAT REQUEST
AND WE HAVE SOMEBODY INSULATED
MAKING THAT DENIAL. I'M NOT OKAY
WITH THAT, AND I JUST WANT TO
SHARE THAT PUBLICLY AND WE'LL GO
BACK AND MAKE SOME CHANGES AND
THEN COMMIT TO WORKING WITH YOU
TO TIGHTEN UP THE LAW. A LITTLE.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU SO MUCH,
COMMISSIONER. THANK YOU TO
EVERYONE. FOR YOUR TESTIMONY AND
BRINGING ATTENTION TO THIS AND
IT'S TRUE. I MEAN, WE CONTINUE
TO MOVE THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA
FORWARD. UM AND HERE IN 2024.
WE'RE STILL DEALING WITH THIS
ISSUE OF BRINGING IT TO LIGHT.
UM WHEN PAST HISTORIES, PAST
INJUSTICES AND LIVES HAVE BEEN
LOST HERE IN IN INDIAN COUNTRY
AND THOSE THAT HAVEN'T EVEN BEEN
REPORTED. SO WE DO HAVE TO MOVE
FORWARD WITH FINE TUNING THIS
PIECE OF LEGISLATION, HEARING
FROM THE VOICES AND THE
TESTIMONY AND THE PUBLIC COMMENT
TO SHOW UM THE STRESS THAT'S OUT
THERE WITHIN INDIAN COUNTRY AND
THAT VOICE IS BEING HEARD AND
WE'RE TRYING TO MOVE FORWARD. UM
. CERTAINLY BEING IN THE SEAT AS
A SERRANO KOREA PERSON INDIAN
PERSON WE ARE PUSHING THE
ENVELOPE ON A LOT OF THESE
ISSUES, BUT IT HAS TAKEN OVER
170 YEARS TO GET US TO THIS
POINT, SO THIS CURRENT
LEGISLATURE IS OPEN TO LOOKING
AT THESE AREAS, AMENDING THIS
PIECE OF LEGISLATION SO IT DOES
MOVE FORWARD AND SERVE ITS
PURPOSE. OF PROTECTING
CALIFORNIA'S FIRST PEOPLE. THANK
YOU ALL FOR ATTENDING. PLEASE.
WITH THE PANELISTS. WOULD YOU
MAKE YOUR WAY UP HERE SO WE
COULD GET A PICTURE REAL QUICK.