LAKEWOOD, Colo. (KDVR) — Colorado is now the second state in the U.S. to create the Missing Indigenous Person Alert, known as MIPA.
Colorado joins Washington in creating a statewide alert for missing Indigenous persons.
During the 2022 regular session, Sen. Jessie Danielson, Rep. Monica Duran and Rep. Leslie Herod introduced SB22-150 which is the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Relatives Act. The act passed in June.
SB22-150 expands the investigation of missing and murdered indigenous relative cases and helped created MIPA. MIPA will be issued by CBI similar to how Amber Alerts are issued.
According to CBI, the following are required for a MIPA to be issued:
- The missing person must have an active entry in the Colorado Crime Information Center
- The person must be Indigenous
- There must be enough information available to believe that the issuance of an alert will aid in the recovery of the missing person
- The request for an alert must come from law enforcement and they must notify CBI within eight hours of the initial report
“The CBI understands the importance and effectiveness of the various alerts that are in place in Colorado, and we are pleased to have been asked to develop this newest alert in an effort to quickly locate missing Indigenous persons and return them safely to their loved ones,” said CBI Director John Camper.
CBI clarified that if the incident involves an abducted Indigenous child, a statewide Amber Alert will be issued if the alert meets the criteria.
MIPA joins other alerts that are a part of the CBI system which include:
- Amber Alert
- Endangered Missing Alert
- Missing Senior Alert
- Missing Persons with Developmental Disabilities Alert
- Blue Alert
- Medina Alert
The new alert goes live on Dec. 30, according to CBI.