STATEMENT BY PRINCIPAL DEPUTY ASSISTANT ATTORNEY GENERAL KATHARINE T. SULLIVAN ON PRESIDENTIAL TASK FORCE LISTENING SESSIONS FOR OPERATION LADY JUSTICE

WASHINGTON – Office of Justice Programs Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General and Operation Lady Justice Co-chair Designee Katharine T. Sullivan issued the following statement on the first of four virtual listening sessions of the Presidential Task Force on Missing and Murdered American Indians and Alaska Natives:

“The indigenous people of the United States face formidable public safety challenges, perhaps none more troubling than the crisis of missing and murdered American Indian and Alaska Native people. The inexplicable loss of so many family members and loved ones is especially tragic in communities already suffering from disproportionately high rates of violence and where remedies and resources remain scarce. Hearing from tribal members and professionals directly affected by this crisis serves as a poignant and urgent call to support tribal leaders as they work to protect their citizens. We are grateful to everyone who came forward today for their willingness to open up about an issue that has been the source of so much pain for so many American Indian and Alaska Native people. We remain committed to working with tribal leaders and with all law enforcement agencies to better understand this problem and develop more effective responses to turn this tide of violence.”

Tribal Listening Session Webinars are open to Tribal Leaders and others. Sessions will include a short presentation about the current activities of the task force, followed by a listening session. Registration is required at https://cvent.me/d4EwOP. For more information about the task force, visit https://operationladyjustice.usdoj.gov/.