BISMARCK - South Dakota U.S. Attorney Brendan Johnson, Chair of the Native America Issues Subcommittee (NAIS) of the Department of Justice’s Attorney General’s Advisory Committee, has announced the appointment of North Dakota U.S. Attorney Timothy Purdon as vice-chair of the NAIS. U.S. Attorney Purdon will fill the vice-chair position effective immediately.

In Bismarck, North Dakota U.S. Attorney Purdon said, “I am humbled and honored that I have been asked to serve as the vice-chair of this committee.” U.S. Attorney Purdon added, “Improving public safety in reservation communities in North Dakota has been a top priority for me since I was confirmed as U.S. Attorney and my commitment to this cause has not wavered. I now look forward to working with my
colleagues from across the country to address this critical issue at the national level.”

The NAIS is made up of 30 U.S. Attorneys from across the United States whose Districts contain Indian Country or one or more federally recognized tribes. The NAIS focuses exclusively on Indian Country issues, both criminal and civil, and is responsible for making policy recommendations to the Attorney General of the United States regarding public safety and legal issues that impact tribal communities.

In July 2011 the NAIS met in Rapid City, S.D., and also on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation to hear from tribal leaders, law enforcement officials, and community members about public safety issues in Indian Country, including violence against Native American women. Attorney General Eric Holder, Associate Attorney General Thomas Perrelli, Assistant Attorney General Ignacia Moreno, and other Department of Justice and Bureau of Indian Affairs officials participated in the meeting.

The NAIS has played a key role in the Department of Justice’s ongoing efforts to implement the Tribal Law and Order Act of 2010. NAIS members also participated in the drafting of legislation proposed in July 2011 by the Department of Justice aimed at combating violence against Native women. This legislation would significantly improve the safety of Native women and allow federal and tribal law enforcement agencies to hold more perpetrators of domestic violence accountable for their crimes.

 

 

 

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