VERY LOCAL. YOU’LL WATCHING KOAT ACTION SEVEN NEWS OUR ARCHIVE SERIES FOCUSES ON MISSING AND MURDERED INDIGENOUS CASES. FAITH EGBUONU SPOKE WITH NAVAJO NATION POLICE CHIEF DARYL NOON ABOUT HIS PLANS TO BRING FORTH JUSTICE IN JUSTICE. BUT A CLINK OF HOPE. FOR THE MISSING AND MURDERED INDIGENOUS PEOPLE, THE FAMILIES ARE THE ONES WHO ARE SUFFERING. THE FAMILIES ARE THE ONES WHO ARE WANTING ANSWERS. NOW I KNOW IT. IT PROBABLY DOESN’T FEEL LIKE IT ALL THE TIME, BUT WE HAVEN’T FORGOTTEN. 72 CASES NOW UNSOLVED ON THE NAVAJO NATION. A SLIGHT INCREASE FROM 2022 WITH JUST OVER 60 CASES. I EXPECTED THE NUMBERS TO GO UP BECAUSE WE ARE WE’RE DOING A BETTER JOB AT MAKING SURE WE’RE TAKING THESE REPORTS. WE’VE HAD PEOPLE REFERRED BACK TO THE NAVAJO NATION WHO LIVE, YOU KNOW, IN THE PHOENIX VALLEY, WHO LIVE IN COLORADO AND IN ALBUQUERQUE. A MIXED CASE OF RUNAWAYS AND SUSPECTED FOUL PLAY. SOME OF THEM GET CALLED AND SAY, HEY, I SAW YOUR PICTURE ON THE MISSING PERSON POSTER. AND, YOU KNOW, THEY JUST DON’T TELL THEIR FAMILIES WHERE THEY’RE GOING OR THEY DON’T ANSWER THEIR PHONES. THERE’S EVIDENCE OF FOUL PLAY. THEN THE CASE IS, UH, TRANSITIONED, TURNED OVER TO CRIMINAL INVESTIGATIONS, LINGERING PAIN FOR FRIENDS AND FAMILY. WE DON’T KNOW WHAT TO DO. A TOP PRIORITY FOR NAVAJO POLICE CHIEF DARYL NOON. WE MAKE SURE THEY GET ENTERED INTO THE NCIC SYSTEM, AND. AND WE TREAT THEM ALL, YOU KNOW, AS, UH, AS A CASE THAT NEEDS TO BE INVESTIGATED. AND IT’S A PRIORITY FOR FOR US AND FOR THE THE DETECTIVES THAT WE HAVE IN THE UNIT. THEY HAVE A PASSION FOR WHAT THEY’RE DOING, OVERCOMING CHALLENGES. WE ARE STRUGGLING WITH STAFFING LEVELS. CHIEF NOON TELLING US THERE ARE CURRENTLY. 218 OFFICERS. WE’RE TRYING TO RAMP UP OUR EFFORTS TO RECRUIT, BUT HIS DEPARTMENT, IN DIRE NEED OF MORE 500 SPOTS LEFT TO FILL, WERE RESPONSIBLE. FOR 27,000MI. IF WE’RE ACTIVE IN ONE AREA, THEN OTHER AREAS ARE ASKING LIKE, WELL, WHAT ABOUT US? WHEN ARE YOU GOING TO GET HERE? IT’S DIFFICULT. IT’S A CHALLENGE, BUT IT’S SOMETHING THAT WE’RE GOING TO CONTINUE TO PUSH FORWARD WITH FROM STRENGTHENING TIES WITH FBI TO NOW ADDING A CADAVER DOG TO HELP SEARCH. WE’RE CREATING CIVILIAN POLICE INVESTIGATORS TO TO HELP SUPPLEMENT OUR OUR SMALL DETECTIVE CREW WHO ARE COMMISSIONED OFFICERS, UH, AND OUR CREW WITH THE POLICE DEPARTMENT, ALL IN EFFORT TO BRING FORTH JUSTICE. WE WILL CONTINUE TO TRY OUR BEST TO BRING ANSWERS AND TO BRING CLOSURE. ULTIMATELY, IN SOME OF THESE THESE WORST CASES. BUT THEY WANT TO KANDY T ACTION 7 NEWS CHIEF NOON ALSO PLANS TO EXPAND
Navajo Nation police chief addresses efforts to solve MMIP crisis
"The families are the ones who are suffering. The families are the ones who are wanting answers," Navajo police Chief Daryl Noon said
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Updated: 9:11 AM MDT Apr 2, 2024
Video above: Navajo Nation police Chief Daryl Noon discusses efforts to help bring forth justice to victims of the Missing and Murdered Indigenous People crisis. According to Noon, as of Monday, April 1, there are 72 cases unsolved on the Navajo Nation, which includes runaways and suspected foul play."The families are the ones who are suffering. The families are the ones who are wanting answers. I know it probably doesn't feel like it all the time, but we haven't forgotten," Noon told KOAT. Video below: Navajo Nation president, vice president vow for change in MMIP epidemic "I stressed to our staff, we need to be open and fully transparent with families when they come looking for answers. We will continue to try our best to bring answers and to bring closure ultimately in some of these worst cases." — Chief NoonRelated: More than 60 missing persons cases plague the Navajo Nation"I expected the numbers to go up because we're doing a better job of making sure we're taking these reports. We have people referred back to the Navajo Nation, who live in the Phoenix Valley, who live in Colorado, who live in Albuquerque," Noon told KOAT. "As we recover people, we have people— who, when we do contact them, they don't even know they're missing or reported missing. Some of them get called, like 'Hey, I saw your picture, on the missing person poster' and they just don't tell their families where they are going, or they don't answer their phones."Stay up-to-date: The latest headlines from KOAT Action 7 News"We have repeated runaways who take off from home that we consider missing people. So, we make sure from the get-go that we're focusing on the investigation in that respect, so we make sure we follow up on those cases," Noon said. "We make sure they get entered into the NCIC system, and we treat them all as a case that needs to be investigated. If there's evidence of foul play, then the case is transitioned over to criminal investigations."Overcoming Challenges"We are struggling with staffing levels. We're trying to ramp up our efforts to recruit," Noon said.According to Noon, the Navajo Police Department has 218 officers. Currently, there are 500 spots to fill."We are now at 218. We need 500, and ultimately, the goal is 750. So, we've got a long way to go. We recently graduated seven from the academy. It's just been difficult because what I would like to do ultimately is expand this program because it's such a large area that we're responsible for," Noon said. "Our guys are working hard. They're trying to be responsive. We're responsible for 27,000 square miles. If we're active in one area, then other areas are asking like, 'Well, what about us? When are you getting in here?' I want to expand this unit. We want to expand our research and rescue capabilities and our highway safety, but I can't do that unless I have more people," Noon told KOAT.New Efforts to solve MMIP crisis"It's a priority for us and for the detectives that we have in the unit. They have a passion for what they're doing," Noon said.According to Noon, there have been improved efforts to help solve the MMIP crisis on the Navajo Nation, which include:A cadaver dog to help with searchesTies have been strengthened with FBI to help solve cases"We're creating civilian police investigators to help supplement our small detective crew who are commissioned officers in our crew with the police department," Noon said.Stay updated on the latest news updates with the KOAT app. You can download it here.
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — Video above: Navajo Nation police Chief Daryl Noon discusses efforts to help bring forth justice to victims of the Missing and Murdered Indigenous People crisis.
According to Noon, as of Monday, April 1, there are 72 cases unsolved on the Navajo Nation, which includes runaways and suspected foul play.
"The families are the ones who are suffering. The families are the ones who are wanting answers. I know it probably doesn't feel like it all the time, but we haven't forgotten," Noon told KOAT.
Video below: Navajo Nation president, vice president vow for change in MMIP epidemic
"I stressed to our staff, we need to be open and fully transparent with families when they come looking for answers. We will continue to try our best to bring answers and to bring closure ultimately in some of these worst cases." — Chief Noon
Related: More than 60 missing persons cases plague the Navajo Nation
"I expected the numbers to go up because we're doing a better job of making sure we're taking these reports. We have people referred back to the Navajo Nation, who live in the Phoenix Valley, who live in Colorado, who live in Albuquerque," Noon told KOAT. "As we recover people, we have people— who, when we do contact them, they don't even know they're missing or reported missing. Some of them get called, like 'Hey, I saw your picture, on the missing person poster' and they just don't tell their families where they are going, or they don't answer their phones."
Stay up-to-date: The latest headlines from KOAT Action 7 News
"We have repeated runaways who take off from home that we consider missing people. So, we make sure from the get-go that we're focusing on the investigation in that respect, so we make sure we follow up on those cases," Noon said. "We make sure they get entered into the NCIC [National Crime Information Center] system, and we treat them all as a case that needs to be investigated. If there's evidence of foul play, then the case is transitioned over to criminal investigations."
Overcoming Challenges
"We are struggling with staffing levels. We're trying to ramp up our efforts to recruit," Noon said.
According to Noon, the Navajo Police Department has 218 officers. Currently, there are 500 spots to fill.
"We are now at 218. We need 500, and ultimately, the goal is 750. So, we've got a long way to go. We recently graduated seven from the academy. It's just been difficult because what I would like to do ultimately is expand this program because it's such a large area that we're responsible for," Noon said.
"Our guys are working hard. They're trying to be responsive. We're responsible for 27,000 square miles. If we're active in one area, then other areas are asking like, 'Well, what about us? When are you getting in here?' I want to expand this unit. We want to expand our research and rescue capabilities and our highway safety, but I can't do that unless I have more people," Noon told KOAT.
New Efforts to solve MMIP crisis
"It's a priority for us and for the detectives that we have in the unit. They have a passion for what they're doing," Noon said.
According to Noon, there have been improved efforts to help solve the MMIP crisis on the Navajo Nation, which include:
- A cadaver dog to help with searches
- Ties have been strengthened with FBI to help solve cases
- "We're creating civilian police investigators to help supplement our small detective crew who are commissioned officers in our crew with the police department," Noon said.
Stay updated on the latest news updates with the KOAT app. You can download it here.
