BADGES for Native Communities Act

This bill would revise federal procedures for investigating and reporting cases involving missing, unidentified, or murdered Native Americans. It proposes establishing a grant program to help tribal entities improve their responses to these cases and would require the creation of a five-year demonstration program to streamline background investigations for Bureau of Indian Affairs law enforcement applicants. Additionally, the legislation would provide tribal officers with access to federal training and mental health programs while requiring a formal study of how federal agencies handle evidence and response times.

This bill directly affects tribal governments and law enforcement agencies within the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) through new grant programs, training resources, and mental health initiatives. Applicants for BIA law enforcement positions are also impacted by a new five-year demonstration program for personnel background investigations. Additionally, federal law enforcement agencies and the Department of Health and Human Services are subject to new requirements regarding information sharing, reporting, and the provision of culturally appropriate wellness programs.

• Enhancement of Missing Person and Death Investigations. The Department of Justice must establish a grant program for tribes and other entities to improve responses to missing person cases and death investigations involving Native communities.
• Law Enforcement Mental Health and Training Resources. The Department of Justice and the Department of Health and Human Services are required to provide federal training and culturally appropriate mental health programs for tribal and Bureau of Indian Affairs law enforcement officers.
• BIA Law Enforcement Personnel Background Investigation Program. The Department of the Interior is directed to create a five-year demonstration program to conduct or adjudicate background investigations for applicants seeking law enforcement positions within the Bureau of Indian Affairs.
• Federal Law Enforcement Procedure Studies. The Government Accountability Office must conduct studies on federal law enforcement practices, specifically regarding evidence collection, handling, response times, and processing procedures.
• Revision of Information Sharing and Reporting Policies. The bill updates federal procedures for sharing information and reporting on cases involving missing, unidentified, or murdered Indians.

The bill requires the Department of the Interior to establish a five-year demonstration program for conducting or adjudicating personnel background investigations for Bureau of Indian Affairs law enforcement applicants.

The bill revises existing federal policies and procedures regarding information sharing and investigations into cases of missing or murdered Indians. It also modifies the administration of federal training resources and mental health programs for tribal and Bureau of Indian Affairs law enforcement officers.

The bill aims to improve the federal response to cases of missing, unidentified, or murdered Indigenous people by revising information-sharing policies and enhancing investigative procedures. It seeks to support tribal law enforcement through new grant programs, streamlined personnel background checks, and expanded access to culturally appropriate mental health and training resources.