United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced that Gregg Peterman, Supervisory Assistant U.S. Attorney (SAUSA) for the District of South Dakota, has been named to the Not Invisible Act Commission. Of the 37 members named to the Commission, SAUSA Peterman is the sole individual to come from and represent the nation’s U.S. Attorneys’ offices. Also, among the members named was Don Hedrick, Chief of Police for the Rapid City Police Department.
Last week, Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland and Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco recognized National Missing or Murdered Indigenous Persons Awareness Day with a virtual event that highlighted the Not Invisible Act Commission. The Commission was established as part of the Not Invisible Act, which Secretary Haaland sponsored during her time in Congress, and includes a cross jurisdictional advisory committee composed of law enforcement, Tribal leaders, federal partners, service providers, family members of missing and murdered individuals, and most importantly, survivors.
The Not Invisible Act Commission will make recommendations to the Departments of the Interior and Justice to improve intergovernmental coordination and establish best practices for state, Tribal, and federal law enforcement, to bolster resources for survivors and victim’s families, and to combat the epidemic of missing persons, murder, and trafficking of Native American, Alaska Native, and Native Hawaiian people.
“We are honored that a member of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in South Dakota has been selected to represent the USAO community on this Commission. Gregg’s extensive work in Indian Country has made him a trusted leader, both in the District and nationwide, and his knowledge and expertise will be instrumental to the Commission’s success,” said U.S. Attorney Ramsdell.
Peterman has been the SAUSA for the Rapid City office since January of 2012. He has been a prosecutor with the U.S. Department of Justice for 27 years. SAUSA Peterman has spent the majority of his career prosecuting violent crimes in Indian country on the Pine Ridge Reservation, including murder, sexual abuse, aggravated assault, child abuse, and robbery. In 2017, he was the recipient of the U.S. Attorney General’s Award for Exceptional Service in Indian Country, and received the Executive Office for U.S. Attorneys’ Director’s Award for Superior Performance in Indian Country in 2013. In addition, SAUSA Peterman was a member of the U.S. Attorney General’s Advisory Task Force on Domestic Violence in Indian Country in 2011-2012, and previously served as a member of the DOJ Office for Victims of Crime Working Group addressing Alcohol Facilitated Sexual Assault in Indian Country.
SAUSA Peterman has also authored A Primer on the Prosecution of Child Sexual Abuse in Indian Country, published in USDOJ USA Book, and is currently co-authoring General Evidence in a Domestic Violence Prosecution in Indian Country, which will be published in the USDOJ Handbook.
The Departments announced the Not Invisible Act Commission members last week, along with the following mission:
- Identify, report and respond to instances of missing and murdered Indigenous peoples (MMIP) cases and human trafficking,
- Develop legislative and administrative changes necessary to use federal programs, properties, and resources to combat the crisis,
- Track and report data on MMIP and human trafficking cases,
- Consider issues related to the hiring and retention of law enforcement offices,
- Coordinate Tribal-state-federal resources to combat MMIP and human trafficking offices on Indian lands, and
- Increase information sharing with Tribal governments on violent crimes investigations and other prosecutions on Indian lands.
The Commission has the authority to hold hearings, gather testimony, and receive additional evidence and feedback from its members to develop recommendations to the Secretary and Attorney General.