A Letter of Gratitude from Native Public Media to the MEP Working Group

June 30, 2025

Dear Members of the Missing and Endangered Persons (MEP) Working Group,

I express profound gratitude to each of you for your dedication, expertise, and collaborative

spirit in developing the new Missing and Endangered Persons Guidelines. Our collective effort has resulted in a historic achievement: strongly recommended guidelines for the MEP Alert, which will go live nationwide on September 8, 2025. Your efforts mark a milestone in our ability to protect vulnerable individuals and bring justice to their families.

The Importance of Our Mission

- In 2021, approximately 4,200 Indigenous women were reported missing; fewer than 30% of those cases were reflected in Federal databases.

- As of January 2025, NamUs reported 876 missing American Indian/Alaska Native (AI/AN) persons from 34 states, with 246 cases in Arizona alone.

- Indigenous communities represent just 1.3% of the U.S. population, yet are disproportionately represented among missing-person cases.

Sustaining the MEP Ecosystem

Although the MEP Guidelines represent transformative progress, sustained effort is critical. We must advance a comprehensive MEP ecosystem that includes:

1. A Centralized Database

   Integrate state, tribal, and federal datasets into NamUs and the FBI NCIC, as mandated by The Savanna’s Act, to close data gaps and engineer workarounds for jurisdictions to improve access, control, and data ownership for preventive resolutions.

2. Preventive Measures

   Analyze patterns and pinpoint community-level risk factors to inform culturally appropriate intervention strategies.

3. Inter-Jurisdictional Cooperation

   Deepen coordination across tribal, state, and federal lines to ensure swift cross-border alerts and collaborative investigations.

4. Rescue, Recovery & Case Resolution

   Utilize the MEP Alert in conjunction with PSAs, mobile notifications, social media, new technology, and on-site capacity to significantly enhance visibility and expedite recoveries.

5. Cold and Current Cases

   Leverage enhanced database exchanges and networks to re-open cold cases and resolve long-standing and current disappearances.

6. Alerting Authorities

   Encourage tribal governments and eligible agencies as Alerting Authorities under FEMA’s Integrated Public Alert and Warning System (IPAWS) to issue Wireless Emergency Alerts (WEAs), Emergency Alert System (EAS) and MEP Alerts directly, ensuring timely, culturally informed, and geographically targeted notifications for missing or endangered persons.

Your tireless work has laid the foundation for a national system that honors every missing person, particularly those who have been underrepresented or overlooked. Your work is not just policy reform; it promises hope and action for families and communities across Indian Country and beyond.

Let us hold fast to this momentum. As the September activation date approaches, I encourage you to work with the MEP Working Group to continue training and outreach across all jurisdictions. Support advocacy for sustained MEP Ecosystem funding and resourcing; share lessons learned and drive best practices through forums, trainings, and public speaking.

Together, we can build an MEP ecosystem that respects sovereignty, amplifies prevention, and delivers accountability. The MEP Alert “facilitates a national discourse about an ecosystem that will prioritize solutions.” But it is just the start.

Thank you for your leadership, insight, and unwavering commitment to the most vulnerable. With your continued partnership, we will ensure that the MEP Alert is more than a system. It will be a lifeline for those in need.

Let’s save lives,

Loris Taylor

Native Public Media

Strongly Recommended Missing and Endangered Persons Alert (MEP) Guidelines

Age

All missing and endangered persons qualify for the MEP Alert EXCEPT those who meet the AMBER Alert criteria. Cases of suspected child abduction fall under the AMBER Alert. Cases involving foul play, suspicious circumstances, adult abduction, or other significant endangerment factors (such as medical or cognitive conditions) qualify for the MEP Alert.

Risk of Serious Harm or Death

The missing person is at risk of serious bodily harm or death based on factors such as:

1. Reports of foul play.

2. Reports of an adult abduction.

3. Medical or mental health conditions that may endanger the person’s safety.

4. Evidence suggests the individual is vulnerable due to disability, cognitive impairment, or diminished capacity.

5. Threats made against the individual.

Descriptive Information

There is enough descriptive information about the person, suspect(s), and/or vehicle (if applicable) to believe that an immediate MEP Alert will aid in locating the person. This information may include:

1. An unaltered picture.

2. Physical description of the person (height, weight, distinguishing features, etc.).

3. Clothing description.

4. Description of the suspect or person of interest.

5. Vehicle description (make, model, color, license plate number, etc.).

Determination

The Alerting Authority has a reasonable belief that the person is missing under suspicious circumstances, including adult abduction, foul play, or other circumstances that indicate immediate danger.

MEP Alert Activation

The Alerting Authority shall activate or request an MEP Alert upon determining that the missing person is at imminent risk of serious bodily injury or death. Each case shall be assessed on its merits, requiring a prompt judgment based on available evidence. Law enforcement is best to respond quickly and lead the investigation in the jurisdiction where a person was last seen or where the incident occurred.

Entry into NCIC System

The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has entered the missing persons information and relevant data elements into the National Crime Information Center (NCIC) system. Some tribal jurisdictions do not participate in NCIC and have instituted repositories for crime data. Jurisdictions are encouraged to share information vital for prevention and resolution efforts.

Training

Alerting Authorities have participated in training on activating and managing alerts via the Integrated Public Alert and Warning System (IPAWS). Participation in training programs offered by FEMA, AMBER Alert, and other pertinent organizations is highly recommended to enhance the effectiveness of alert implementation and response strategies.

Geo-targeted alerts

The missing person is believed to be within the broadcast area or may be transported to the broadcast area. Where possible, Wireless Emergency Alerts (WEA) should be geo-targeted for MEP Alerts to ensure timely and relevant public awareness.