Turtle Mountain Law Library
Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa Indians Tribal Code.

64.04.010 Initial Report, entry of information, and initial response and investigation.

The Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa (TMBCI) Law Enforcement Agency (LEA) shall accept without delay any report of a missing person. The TMBCI LEA shall not refuse to accept a missing person report on the basis that:

  • the missing person is an adult;
  • the circumstances do not indicate foul play;
  • the person has been missing for a short amount of time;
  • the person has been missing for a long amount of time;
  • there is no indication that the missing person was in the jurisdiction served by the TMBCI Law Enforcement Agency at the time of the disappearance;
  • the circumstances suggest that the disappearance may be voluntary;
  • the reporting person does not have personal knowledge of the facts;
  • the reporting person cannot provide all of the information requested by the TMBCI Law Enforcement Agency;
  • the reporting person lacks a familial or other relationship with the missing person; or
  • for any other reason, except in cases where the TMBCI Law Enforcement Agency has direct knowledge that the person is, in fact, not missing and the whereabouts and welfare of the person are known at the time the report is being made.

The TMBCI LEA shall accept missing person reports in person. Reports may also be accepted by telephone, in writing, or other electronic means to the extent that the reporting is consistent with the Agency's policies or practices.

Upon receiving a report of a person believed to be missing, a TMBCI Law Enforcement Officer shall conduct a preliminary investigation to determine whether the person is missing. If the person is initially determined to be missing and endangered, and their location is not secured, the officer shall immediately consult the Chief of Police, or designee, in recognition of the fact that the first two hours are critical.

If the person is determined to be missing, the TMBCI LEA shall enter identifying and descriptive information about the person into the National Crime Information Center (NCIC) data system within the first two hours of receipt of the initial report. If the missing person is between the ages of 18-64 years old and meets applicable criteria, identifying and descriptive information shall be provided to the federal government's Ashanti Alert system within the first two hours of receipt of the initial report. If the missing person is a child or an elder, identifying and descriptive information will also be provided to the state AMBER or Silver Alert systems within the first two hours of receipt of the initial report.