LAKEWOOD, Colo. — After a nationwide search, Colorado's new Office of Liaison for Missing or Murdered Indigenous Relatives has its first director.
The Colorado Department of Public Safety (CDPS) announced on Wednesday morning that its Division of Criminal Justice had selected Arron Julian to lead the office, and his first day was Nov. 21. Julian is a member of the Jicarilla Apache Tribe in northern New Mexico.
“I am so excited to join the State of Colorado in this expanded new effort to ensure no stone is left unturned when an Indigenous person goes missing or is murdered," Julian said. "I hope to be a successful voice, advocate, and problem-solver for Indigenous people and I look forward to helping strengthen the relationship between local Tribes, Native community members across Colorado and law enforcement. I want us to all work hand in hand as one great Colorado community."
He has more than 36 years of experience in law enforcement, which includes serving as chief of police for the Bishop Paiute Tribe in California, according to CDPS. He was also the sexual assault response team coordinator for the San Carlos Apache Healthcare Corporation in Arizona and served as operations manager for the US Embassy Security Force in Baghdad as a civilian contractor with the State Department. He has overseen 6,000 members of a security force, CDPS said.
CDPS Executive Director Stan Hilkey said he wanted to find someone with deep connections to Indigenous communities, plus experience in law enforcement.
“Arron joins the department with tremendous credentials and a list of positive recommendations that are too many to list," Hilkey said.
This hire came in the wake of a "robust, nationwide search" with the help and guidance of Indigenous stakeholders, CDPS said. Julian is the first director for the new office, which was established through Senate Bill 22-150. The bill acknowledged the unique challenges that stem from these cases, which includes poor and inconsistent reporting, lack of interagency cooperation, and misclassification of racial identity.
The bill was introduced in March 2022 and Gov. Jared Polis signed it into law on June 8. It was sponsored by Sen. Jessie Danielson (D-Wheat Ridge), and Reps. Monica Duran (D-Wheat Ridge) and Leslie Herod (D-Denver).
In his new role, Julian is serving as a liaison to the Tribal Nations and Indigenous communities in Colorado regarding issues surrounding Missing and Murdered Indigenous Relatives (MMIR). This will include multiple partner agencies, including the Colorado Commission of Indian Affairs, federally recognized Tribes, state, local, and Tribal law enforcement agencies, the Colorado Bureau of Investigation and Indigenous-led organizations, according to the CDPS.
Colorado's Division of Criminal Justice Director Joe Thome said Julian is able to bring law enforcement and tribal communities and agencies together for a common purpose.
“I’m confident that Arron's passion for justice on behalf of Indigenous populations and his experience working to bring closure to MMIR cases will drive a powerful and positive start to this new program," Thome said.
Kathryn Redhorse, executive director of the Colorado Commission of Indian Affairs, added that she's grateful to have found a director for the new office with years of relevant experience.
“We’re eager to get started with this work building partnerships and expanding trust through a multi-jurisdictional, community-focused program," Redhouse said.
According to the National Institute of Justice, more than four out of every five Indigenous people in the United States experience violent crime, which is a significantly higher rate than other people in the country. The murder rate for Indigenous women is almost three times higher than white women, and is the third-leading cause of death for Indigenous women and girls between the ages of 15 and 24, according to the National Congress of American Indians Policy Research Center.
Multiple other states have taken legislative action to address MMIR, including Utah, Montana, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Wyoming and Kansas. Minnesota created the country's first State Office for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Relatives in 2021.
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