Washington approved the creation of a statewide alert system specifically for missing indigenous people, the first of its kind in the country.
The law, signed by Gov. Jay Inslee on Thursday, creates an emergency system similar to that of Amber Alerts and Silver Alerts that are used to help locate missing children and vulnerable adults, respectively. The new system aims to address a nationwide crisis of missing indigenous people, particularly women, that has historically gone overlooked but has worsened over the last few years.
When an alert is sent, it will notify law enforcement, place messages on highway billboards and signs, inform local news media, and post updates on social media. It is unclear how alert information will be distributed in rural areas or what criteria law enforcement will use to identify someone as Native American.
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