With an increasing regional population and drug activity at epidemic levels, particularly fentanyl and methamphetamine, picuris faces tremendous challenges, including increased domestic violence,…

The Picuris Pueblo Indian Tribe was awarded a $150,000 Project Grant from the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA) under the Tribal Justice Assistance Program (CFDA 16.596). The 5-year grant, beginning October 1, 2023, will fund the creation of a strategic plan to improve policing strategies, victim services, substance abuse prevention, and child welfare responses in the Picuris community. The plan will be developed by a core planning team comprising representatives from tribal leadership, public safety, the judiciary, child welfare, housing, and health programs, and will outline goals, timelines, and collaborative roles to address the community's rising concerns around drug activity, domestic violence, public intoxication, and other crimes related to substance misuse. A grant coordinator will be contracted to manage the project throughout the 3-year grant period and coordinate with BJA technical assistance providers.

With an increasing regional population and drug activity at epidemic levels, particularly fentanyl and methamphetamine, picuris faces tremendous challenges, including increased domestic violence, public intoxication, and other crimes related to substance misuse. The pueblo of picuris seeks funding to create a strategic plan focused on creating change, prioritizing community needs, and implementing latest best practices aimed at improving policing strategies, improving victim services, decreasing substance misuse, and improving child welfare responses. With a strategic planning document containing goals and projected timeframes, each justice stakeholder and community members will understand what their role will be to improve the community and create greater collaboration. The core planning team will be comprised of a representative from tribal leadership (governor, lieutenant governor, tribal council), director of public safety, chief judge, director of indian child welfare act, housing department director, and health programs director. The team will be led by the director of public safety. The pueblo will contract with a grant coordinator for the 3 years of this proposed project to coordinate with the pueblo and BJA TTA providers