Billings Office, Cold Cases Among Topics At FBI Meeting
Fort Peck Represented
Fort Peck Tribes was represented by Tribal Executive Board members Barry Bighorn Jr. and George Blount as FBI director Kash Patel met with tribal leaders in Billings last week.
Bighorn, who is chairman of Fort Peck’s law and justice committee, said one of the main topics of the meeting regarded the opening of a FBI office in Billings.
He was impressed with the invitation since he doesn’t feel any similar meeting has occurred during past years.
“They want to increase their efforts in addressing missing and murdered indigenous women, drug trafficking and human trafficking,” Bighorn said.
Blount agreed that Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women was an important topic during the meeting, which lasted about an hour.
“There’s a lot of cold cases,” Blount said. “They want input and data from the reservations.”
FBI officials also stressed that they want information about issues occur on the reservations.
“They said, give us a call,” Blount reported. “Don’t hesitant to call.”
Bighorn added, “They were introducing themselves. They want to increase their involvement and efforts.”
Blount feels it was an impressive step made by the FBI to hold the meeting.
“Just for the fact that the national director came to Indian Country and showed an interest in working with tribal government,” Blount said.
The Fort Peck tribes received an invitation to attend about a week prior to the meeting.
“It was really interesting and informative to learn about their issues,” Blount said. “If I can help in any way, I’m looking forward to that.”
Also last week, U.S. Sen. Steve Daines, R-Mont., and U.S. Sen. Maria Cantwall, D-Wash., Introduced a resolution commemorating May 5 as a National Day of Awareness for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls.
“On this year’s National Day of Awareness for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, we remember with a heavy heart all those who have been victims of this crisis. In particular we remember Montanan Hanna Harris, who would be turning 34 years old on May 5, this year. No family should have to endure what Hanna’s family went through, and it’s critical we keep tribal safety at the forefront of the national conversation,” Daines said in a press release.
Daines has introduced this resolution annually for years to honor the memory of Hanna Harris.
