Bismarck, ND – The U.S. Senate has passed a new bill aimed at bolstering law enforcement resources in tribal communities. The Bridging Agency Data Gaps and Ensuring Safety for Native Communities Act, known as BADGES, seeks to improve the recruitment and retention of Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) law enforcement officers and provide additional resources for locating missing persons in Native communities.
Senator John Hoeven, a key proponent of the legislation, emphasized the importance of the bill in addressing law enforcement challenges in rural areas. “This legislation will streamline the process to hire more BIA law enforcement officers on the reservation. Right now, we only have about half the positions filled, so this is very important for public safety,” Hoeven said in a statement following the bill’s passage.
One of the primary goals of BADGES is to help fill critical staffing gaps within the BIA. Currently, many positions remain unfilled due to difficulties in recruiting officers, especially in remote areas. By allowing the BIA to conduct its own background checks on potential hires, the bill aims to simplify and expedite the hiring process, making it easier to place officers in tribal communities.
Hoeven noted that recruitment and retention have long been challenges for law enforcement, particularly in underserved regions like tribal lands. The senator added that the bill would provide tribes and states with better tools to combat violence, thereby enhancing overall public safety in these communities.
This legislation builds on previous efforts to address public safety issues faced by North Dakota’s tribal communities. As law enforcement agencies struggle with staffing shortages, measures like the BADGES Act are seen as critical steps toward improving safety and security for Native American residents.
