Colorado launches new alert system for missing Indigenous people

DENVER — The Colorado Bureau of Investigations has launched a Missing Indigenous Persons Alert, which will notify local and statewide law enforcement agencies of a reported missing Indigenous person.

According to a news release published Jan. 2 from the Missing & Murdered Indigenous Relatives Taskforce of Colorado, local police and sheriff’s departments will notify CBI of a missing Indigenous person through an existing alert system. CBI will then communicate with other law enforcement agencies to be on the lookout for the missing person.

The alert comes as a result of Senate Bill 22-150, which requires the Colorado Department of Public Safety to “improve the investigation of missing and murdered indigenous relative cases and address injustice in the criminal justice system's response to the cases of missing and murdered indigenous relative cases.” Governor Jared Polis signed the bill into law in June of 2022.

The new system took effect Dec. 30, 2022, and requires the missing person in question to be Indigenous, though the CBI will use any information available to determine the person’s racial status.

Missing adult reports sent to law enforcement must be reported to the CBI within eight hours, and missing children within two hours. If the report involves an abducted child, a statewide Amber Alert will be issued.

Law enforcement agencies will also distribute information to media outlets and the Department of Transportation, to display the information on transportation signs across Colorado.

The CBI issued a Missing Indigenous Person Alert Jan. 3 for Wanbli Vigil, a 27-year-old man. On Jan. 3, the Missing & Murdered Indigenous Relatives Taskforce of Colorado held an event to raise awareness about Vigil's case and to search for him. Unfortunately, police announced Jan. 5 that Vigil was found deceased on the the 3400 block of W Conejos Pl in Denver. His death does not appear to be suspicious, officials said.