SEATTLE (AP) — The U.S. Justice Department has named a longtime Native American policing expert as the coordinator of its missing and murdered indigenous persons program in Washington state.

David Rogers previously served as the Nez Perce Tribe’s police chief and as a consultant involved in the training of tribal police around the country.

One year ago Attorney General William Barr announced the initiative to better address the problem of violence against Native Americans, especially Native American women.

Rogers will coordinate the effort for the 29 tribal communities in Washington, working with federal, tribal, state and local agencies to develop common protocols responding to reports of missing or murdered indigenous people. He is one of 11 coordinators being hired to help run the DOJ effort in Alaska, Arizona, Montana, Oklahoma, Michigan, Utah, Nevada, Minnesota, Oregon, New Mexico and Washington.

“As an enrolled member of the Nez Perce Tribe, with deep experience and contacts in Pacific Northwest tribal communities, he is ideally qualified to work with our tribal partners to increase safety and security in Indian Country,” Seattle U.S. Attorney Brian Moran said in a written statement announcing the appointment Friday.

According to a report from the Washington State Patrol last year, there were 56 cases of missing Native American women in the state.