Vargo was appointed by Gov. Kristi Noem following the impeachment and removal of former Attorney General Jason Ravnsborg, who hit and killed a man with a car near Highmore in In October, Vargo filled a position meant to lead investigations into missing and murdered indigenous persons MMIP , as well as a position to lead anti-human trafficking efforts.
Ravnsborg, embroiled in controversy over his actions surrounding the fatal crash, failed to fill it. On Friday, Vargo bolstered his case for the long-term impact of his attorney generalship with two more announcements related to state and Native American collaboration.
The first came in the form of the newly created Jurisdictional Cooperation Commission, a group of state, local and tribal officials tasked with exploring mutual aid for public safety across state and tribal borders.
Vargo, who will be replaced by returning Attorney General Marty Jackley next week, will co-chair the commission alongside Tatewin Means. Oyate Court is built on the principles of Peacemaking Circles , which served to resolve conflicts in pre-colonial times. Each move on tribal collaboration has its own specific set of goals, Vargo said, but each shares the goal of fostering trust and communication.
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Tribal members have long felt as though their voices have been ignored by the criminal justice system, he said. Focusing on tribal needs and learning from tribal leaders through regular and explicit collaboration is one way to ensure that those voices are heard. Very little work had been done. There were a handful of applications for the post from before his time, but it appeared that no one had bothered to review them.
