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Retired agent Michael Harrigan served in the FBI for 22 years. In this episode of FBI Retired Case File Review, Michael Harrigan reviews his assignment as the Supervisory Senior Resident Agent (SSRA) in the Farmington and Gallup offices of the Albuquerque Division where he conducted and supervised investigations of crime in Indian country involving homicide, sexual assault, kidnapping, missing persons and unidentified human remains and was responsible for federal criminal matters on three Native American reservations. He also discusses his assignment as the Chief of the National Academy (NA) Program, the leading national law enforcement executive leadership institution, graduating over 1,800 senior law enforcement officers from every state and more than 40 countries.
Mike Harrigan previously reviewed the Violent Criminal Apprehension Program (ViCAP), the largest repository of serial violent crime cases in the country, and the Highway Serial Killings Initiative. He was the unit’s chief and oversaw the development of the web database which allows client law enforcement agencies direct access to conduct independent analysis. Before he retired, Harrigan was the Chief of the FBI Academy’s Firearms Training Program. Currently, he is a subject matter expert for Eagle, a security and risk management service, for whom he provides consultation and expert testimony related to violent crime analysis, the use of force continuum, police procedures and policies, and various issues related to policing Indian Country.
Special Agent (Retired)
Michael Harrigan
October 1996 – December 2018
“Thirty-six of our field offices have agents assigned to investigate crime in Indian Country, that’s the term that goes back many decades.” —Retired Agent Mike Harrigan
Crime in Indian Country
The following are articles on the FBI responsibilities in investigating crime in Indian country and the crisis of serious crimes of violence against Native American women:
FBI Website: What We Investigate -Indian Country Crime
FBI Statement Before the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs – 12/12/2018: Missing and Murdered – Confronting the Silent Crisis in Indian Country
CBS News (VIDEO) – 6/12/2019: Congress tackles crisis of missing and murdered Native American women
FBI National Academy
FBI Website: Services – National Academy
I am glad that Jerri asked about MMIWG (Missing & Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls), and whether Mr. Harrigan agreed it was a crisis.
I was surprised by Mr. Harrigan’s response. He did not dismiss the problem, as Jerri asked him again about the statistic that indigenous girls and women are ten times more likely to be murdered than average. However, he said that the vast majority of these murders are domestic/family. Being a social problem, it wasn’t something he felt law enforcement could fix. (I am paraphrasing to the best of my recollection.)
Some of the .org sites addressing MMIWG suggest that there are legal loopholes protecting non-Native offenders, that US attorneys have tended to decline to prosecute violence against women on reservations, that there is a huge data gap (e.g. 5000+ violent crimes against Native women in NCIC, 100+ in Justice Dept. stats), and that Native victim services are massively underfunded. Legislation at a federal level has been introduced (not passed) to help address the data and funding issues.
Mr. Harrigan’s attribution of these crimes to “social” factors may be incomplete.
Excellent explanation, It;s simple and focuses. Keep up the great work!