8-25-2025 5:33am

Attorney General Raúl Torrez Hosts Tribal Law Enforcement Summit

Chris Edwards Editor

Attorney General Raúl Torrez hosted a Tribal Law Enforcement Summit which brought together law enforcement leaders from across New Mexico, including tribal police departments, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the New Mexico Department of Public Safety.

The summit, organized by the NMDOJ’s Indian Affairs Bureau, featured a full day of presentations and collaborative sessions addressing topics including criminal jurisdiction, cross deputization guidance, missing and murdered indigenous peoples (MMIP) initiative updates, missing person response plans, Criminal Justice Information Services (CJIS) security policies and more. Presenting organizations included the Pueblo of Laguna Police Department, the Pueblo of Pojoaque Police Department, the Department of Public Safety and the NMDOJ.

“This summit represents the kind of partnership we envisioned when I created the first-ever Indian Affairs Bureau within this office,” said Attorney General Raúl Torrez. “By bringing tribal law enforcement leaders together, we’re not only strengthening relationships but also building new tools for the future. From data-sharing initiatives to resources that will soon be available for tribal entities, this effort is about ensuring our communities have the support they need to keep people safe.”

At the conclusion of the summit, AG Torrez also sat down with members of the tribal law enforcement community to hear specific concerns and discuss potential courses of action to further aid in the effort of improving public safety in tribal communities.

“We at the Pojoaque Police Department are honored to have taken part in this Summit and share in meaningful dialogue with our partners along with presenting about our work and Tribal Community Response Plan,” said Pojoaque Police Department Major Nathan Barton. “This experience truly reaffirms the importance of collaboration, and it means so much to us as we continue working together to serve and protect our communities in Indian Country.”

“Since July 2022, FBI-Albuquerque has supported tribal, state, and local law enforcement agencies as they investigate missing persons cases involving Indigenous Persons in New Mexico to include the Navajo Nation,” said FBI Intelligence Analyst Don Metzmeier. “FBI’s critical partnerships with these agencies, including the New Mexico Department of Justice, underscores our continued commitment to understanding MMIP in New Mexico.”

Nearly 60 individuals participated in the summit from 19 different law enforcement organizations including Pueblo of Pojoaque, Ohkay Owingeh, Pueblo of Tesuque, Taos Pueblo, Pueblo of Jemez, Pueblo of Santa Ana-Tamaya, Pueblo of Zia, Pueblo of Acoma, Pueblo of Isleta, Pueblo of Laguna, Santo Domingo Pueblo (Kewa), Jicarilla Apache Nation, Mescalero Apache, Ute Mountain Ute Tribe, Nambé Pueblo, The 19 Pueblos District, FBI, BIA and the New Mexico Department of Public Safety.

Visit NMDOJ.gov for more information on the NMDOJ’s Indian Affairs Bureau and its MMIP Task Force.