Settler colonial murder cannot be investigated: Steff King, Ted Palys, annie ross, Gail S. Anderson, ‘Concerns with police practice in investigations into the deaths of Indigenous people in Canada’, Policing and Society, 2025 | settler colonial studies blog

Settler colonial murder cannot be investigated: Steff King, Ted Palys, annie ross, Gail S. Anderson, ‘Concerns with police practice in investigations into the deaths of Indigenous people in Canada’, Policing and Society, 2025

23Jun25

Abstract: Inadequate death investigations for Missing and Murdered Indigenous People (MMIP) in Canada are a growing problem. Despite several government initiatives and specialised police task forces, Indigenous families continue to report that investigators fail to conduct complete investigations into their loved ones’ deaths. At the centre of many of these concerns is the role that police play, or do not play, in fulfilling standard investigative procedures. This paper presents a thematic analysis of concerns made by Indigenous people about MMIP investigations in Canada, including three in-depth case studies from Prince Rupert, B.C. and 53 family testimony transcripts from the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Women and Girls. Three themes on primary investigative concerns in Indigenous cases emerged including (1) police discrepancies and biases at the time of report intake, (2) failures to collect evidence and information during investigations, and (3) lack of officer communication and support for bereaved families. The discussion throughout identifies the role of the police within these investigative concerns and incorporates cautions from academic literature. The study includes both professional and community recommendations for policing institutions to improve future investigations into the deaths of Indigenous people and support the well-being of the bereaved.

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