Attorney General Raúl Torrez Launches New Interactive Portal Tracking Missing and Murdered Indigenous People Throughout New Mexico
State Agency Press Release – From the Office of the New Mexico Attorney General
Albuquerque, NM – This morning, Attorney General Raúl Torrez, announced a new online portal to address the data-sharing and public-facing aspect of Missing and Murdered Indigenous People (MMIP) in New Mexico. The portal provides real-time, public access to active MMIP cases across the state, facilitates better communication between law enforcement agencies and enables anyone to provide new leads regarding pending investigations.
“We have to break down barriers to communication in this space and give the public and key stakeholders direct access to the information we have regarding Missing and Murdered Indigenous People,” said Attorney General Raul Torrez. “This portal is a critical first step in that process and will provide invaluable insights for policymakers, including the dedicated Task Force we intend to establish in the coming months. I am grateful for the support of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, our tribal law enforcement partners and our friends in the legislature who share our commitment to addressing this important public safety challenge.”
“We fully support our partners at the New Mexico Department of Justice (NMDOJ) as they roll out this important initiative,” said FBI Special Agent in Charge Raul Bujanda. “Although our state, and the Navajo Nation, has access to the most accurate data on missing persons in the country, their work will offer families transparency while providing additional state focused tools to ensure proper reporting for their loved ones. Along with support from our partners, this more robust MMIP effort undertaken by the NMDOJ makes all of New Mexico a safer place.”
Funds for this portal came from Senate Bill 12 which was passed in the 2022 legislative session, the bill also stated that a position be created to support this effort, which we are actively recruiting. Further, Senate Joint Memorial 002 calls for an MMIP task force to be created by our office, the task force will consist of tribal government representation, law enforcement leaders, and community advocates which will be announced this year.
A guided explanation of the portal is below.