On a day that was dedicated to Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women – U.S. Department of the Interior Secretary Deb Haaland, announced the ‘Not Invisible Act Commission’ members and among them was Saint Regis Mohawk Tribal Police (SRMTPD) Detective Sergeant Karonienhawi Thomas.
“Those moments of perseverance were never accomplished by one person, it was always a collaborative effort by several agencies, family members and community advocates; building bridges and pathways to wellness through consensus. I am honored by the appointment and the opportunity to represent our community, ” says Thomas.
Appointed by U.S. Department of the Interior (DOI) Secretary Deb Haaland — the Not Invisible Act Joint Commission focuses on Reducing Violent Crimes Against Indians and on Indian lands.
News of Thomas’ selection was announced during a virtual livestreamed event hosted by DOI on May 5th, the National Day of Awareness for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Peoples. “I wish we didn’t need to be here,” said Haaland at the start of the event. She wore a red dress to honour the day and occasion, which uses the colour red to call attention to the crisis. “I wish that this day was obsolete and that we didn’t have to keep fighting year after year for our people to be honoured and respected.”
Those same sentiments are continually echoed by Thomas, who as a member of the Not Invisible Act Commission, will enlist her experience in addressing unsolved cases. The Not Invisible Act was sponsored by Secretary Haaland when she served as a New Mexico congresswoman and helped lead its passage by Congress in October 2020.
The Act mandated the creation of a commission comprised of representatives with diverse experiences, backgrounds, and geography. It includes tribal, state, and local law enforcement; health care and mental health practitioners; urban Native organizations dealing with violence against women and children; Indian survivors of human trafficking; and family members of missing and murdered Indigenous people.
Lieutenant Decota Thompson with the SRMTPD said, “It is with great pride that I congratulate Karonienhawi and my hope is that she is able to share her expertise with a much greater audience. She has made it her life’s work to help victims of crime and she does so with the fervent devotion and commitment that is unmatched. As her supervisor, I am proud of the officer she has become and I take pride in having been able to support her throughout her career. Congratulations Hawi. Our community and department are lucky to have you.”
In coordination with the U.S. Attorney General, members appointed by Haaland will help convene hearings, take testimonies, and receive evidence in order to develop recommendations for the federal government to combat violent crimes against Native Americans and Alaska Natives. The commission will also help improve intergovernmental coordination and establish best practices for law enforcement to address cases of missing or murdered persons and the trafficking of Native people.
Thomas is a 13-year veteran of the Saint Regis Mohawk Tribal Police Department and has earned two Master’s Degrees from St. Lawrence University: Mental Health Counseling (2019) and Educational Leadership (2015), with specialized certification in School Violence and Conflict Resolution. She is a 2006 graduate of SUNY Potsdam and received a Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology.
During her time with the Tribal PD, she has been an investigative member of the Criminal Investigation Division before being promoted to Detective Sergeant in 2016. She advocates for and raises awareness and prevention of violence, sexual assault, and major crimes against Native American women, children, and families. She is a certified Crime Scene Technician, a forensically trained child interviewer, and instructor for Law Enforcement Cadets in the area of Domestic Violence with the Zone 9 Police Academy in Plattsburgh, New York.
“Through my years of service; I have witnessed families, children, and individuals be pulled out of the darkest places by the unconditional love of family and the dedication of service providers, officers, leaders, caseworkers and advocates. That is what gives me hope that the answers to this epidemic raging over our people is within the reach of this generations grasp,” shared Detective Sergeant Thomas.
She has given congressional testimony at the Bipartisan Task Force to end Sexual Violence, presented at the Northeast Tribal Conference on Child Victimization that was convened by the New York State Children’s Alliance, the Sexual Assault Prevention and Intervention Conference hosted by The New York State Coalition Against Sexual Assault, helped facilitate workshops that focused on sexual assault at Syracuse University, and is an regular speaker to Akwesasne youth at the annual Ohero:ken Rites of Passage Ceremony.
