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Navajo Nation working on system after Mike death

Posted at 12:48 PM, May 09, 2016
and last updated 2016-05-09 16:52:15-04

During a Monday meeting, Navajo Nation officials ordered the creation of an emergency alert system for the Navajo community.

President Russell Begaye and Vice President Jonathan Nez said the Alert System Task Force will be creating the system to alert Navajo people of abductions and other emergencies.

Last week, an 11-year-old Navajo girl was abducted and killed. An Amber Alert was not immediately sent out, leading many to wonder why it took so long to get help.

The Director of Division of Public Safety Jesse Delmar said in a media release that, "(the system) needs to be done immediately".

A system has been tested on a smaller scale with cell phone service, but they're working on a system that would be able to go out to those outside of cell range.

"It's time for us to put our foot down and get all the respective agencies on the same page to implement an alert system that will effectively notify the Navajo people of any abductions or other crises that affect their communities," said President Begaye.

The Task Force is working to get the alert system working in two months.