Faces: A Shining Light
Following her service on the Not Invisible Act Commission, Michigan’s Jolene Hardesty is dedicated to bringing Native American partners to the table as ‘advisors and equals.’
AMBER Alert Indian Country Briefs: 2024 Issue 2
Short news posts about AMBER Alert & child protection issues—from Indian Country
AMBER Alert in Indian Country Leader Named ‘Champion of Change’
AATTAP’s AMBER Alert in Indian Country Manager Tyesha M. Wood has been named a 2024 “Champion of Change” by End Violence Against Women International.
Indian Country Spotlight: Strength in Numbers
Dozens of AATTAP/AIIC Technology Toolkits are now in the hands of Minnesota and Wisconsin Tribes.
AMBER Alert Indian Country Briefs: Issues 3-4, 2023
Short news posts about AMBER Alert & child protection issues—from Indian Country
Faces of the AMBER Alert Network: Captain Jada Breaux
New Chitimacha Tribal Police Chief is looking out for children in Louisiana’s Indian Country
Six Wisconsin Tribes Receive AMBER in Indian Country Technology Toolkits
The AMBER Alert Training and Technical Assistance Program (AATTAP)/AMBER in Indian Country (AIIC) Initiative recently presented Technology Toolkits to six Wisconsin Tribal Nations during a quarterly Native American Drug and Gang Initiative Task Force Advisory Board meeting at the Oneida Nation Police Headquarters in Oneida.
AMBER Alert Indian Country Briefs: Issue 2 2023
Short news posts about AMBER Alert & child protection issues—from Indian Country
Six Minnesota Tribes Receive Technology Toolkits at Regional Law Enforcement Event
The AMBER Alert in Indian Country (AIIC) team recently provided Technology Toolkits to six Minnesota Tribal nations during a quarterly meeting with leaders from state Tribal law enforcement as well as the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension (BCA) and Minnesota Department of Public Safety (DPS).
AMBER Alert in Indian Country News Briefs (Issue 52)
News about AMBER Alert in Indian Country
AMBER Alert in Indian Country Technology Toolkits on the Move
When a child goes missing, law enforcement response time is critical. So is having the right tools. An endeavor to donate nearly every technological resource necessary for responding to missing and abducted children cases – a rugged laptop, digital camera, scanner, and more – is now underway thanks to the AMBER Alert in Indian Country (AIIC) initiative, a component of the AMBER Alert Training and Technical Assistance Program (AATTAP), funded by the U.S. Department of Justice and the Ashlynne Mike AMBER Alert in Indian Country Act of 2018.
AMBER Alert in Indian Country News Briefs (Issue 51)
New Washington State alert addresses high rate of missing indigenous people A first-of-its-kind alert system for missing indigenous women and people was signed into law in Washington state in March 2022. The system helps distribute information about missing Native Americans much like an AMBER Alert. Washington has the second-highest number of missing indigenous people in […]
AMBER Alert in Indian Country News Briefs (Issue 50)
On March 31, 2022, Washington Governor Jay Inslee signed into law the nation’s first Indigenous Alert for missing Native Americans. The alert will send messages to law enforcement, news agencies, social media, and electronic highway signs. The alert is designed to address a much needed and improved response to the high rate of missing and […]
May 5th Missing and Murdered Indigenous Persons Awareness Day Highlights the Urgent Need for Impactful Responses, Data, and Education
The Missing and Murdered Indigenous Persons Awareness Day events of May 5 will come in many forms — documentary premieres, educational symposiums, marches, and more — but all will share a singular goal: To spotlight the disproportionately high number of missing or murdered Indigenous women and girls while promoting resolution, collaboration, accountability, and prevention. “The […]
Growth Sector: Navajo Nation
Yes WEA Can
With the Navajo Nation’s COVID-19 emergency response in high gear, tech leader Christopher Becenti is closing ‘the digital divide’ to make life safer in his community
AMBER Alert in Indian Country: Issue 4 2021
Heartache and hope at the first virtual AMBER Alert in Indian Country Symposium
AMBER Alert in Indian Country: Issue 2 2021
Contributed by Pamela Foster, mother of Ashlynne May 2, 2021, will mark five years since the abduction of my children Ashlynne and Ian Mike. Ian was at a tender age of 9 and still very young and spent a majority of his time cementing his relationship with his sister. Ashlynne was 11 and she was […]
AMBER Alert in Indian Country: Issue 1 2021
“Thankfully, we were prepared.” On Nov. 25, 2020, the Navajo Nation AMBER Alert faced its first real test – and aced it. The AMBER Alert led to two young sisters being safely returned to their home in northwest New Mexico, and that left Navajo Nation Department of Emergency Management Harlan Cleveland breathing yet another sigh […]
2019 AMBER Alert Report
The afternoon of Jan. 13, 1996, Amber Hagerman, a 9-year-old girl who lived in Arlington, Texas, was last seen riding her bike in a parking lot. A witness saw a man with a black, flat-bed truck snatch Amber from her bicycle. Four days later, Amber’s body was found in a creek 3.2 miles from her […]
AMBER Alert in Indian Country – Issue 4 2020
Short News Clips on AMBER Alert & Child Protection Issues from Indian Country
AMBER Alert in Indian Country – Issue 3 2020
Short News Clips on AMBER Alert & Child Protection Issues from Indian Country
An Enduring Legacy for Amber: 1,000 Success Stories (from missingkids.org)
The original post can be found at https://www.missingkids.org/blog/2020/1000-success-stories For more on Amber’s case, read about continued hard work and hope on the 25th anniversary of her abduction. By Patricia Davis 07-23-2020 A home movie was being shown on the evening news, and Diana Simone stopped what she was doing to watch, curious why they […]
AMBER Alert in Indian Country – Issue 2 2020
Short News Clips on AMBER Alert & Child Protection Issues from Indian Country
Strengthening the Safety Net
In honor of Missing and Murdered American Indians and Alaska Natives Awareness Day and to support the efforts to fight this crisis, the City of Portland Tribal Relations Program sponsored “Strengthening the Safety Net: Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women Awareness Week” from May 3-8, 2020. During this week, the City of Portland’s Tribal Relations Program […]
Recognizing Service and Protection for Tribal Communities: 2020 National Police Week
During this 2020 National Police Week, we wish to thank each of you for your service and sacrifice on behalf of the tribal communities across the United States. During these unprecedented times you have stayed strong, placing yourselves on the front lines, facing the dangers of the corona virus while protecting our children and our […]
Recognizing the Importance of the Proclamation
With the signing of a proclamation declaring May 5th as Missing and Murdered American Indians and Alaska Natives Awareness Day, President Trump has taken a step forward in our nation’s efforts to raise awareness and protect Native American and Alaskan Native communities. Before we can make any real progress, we as a nation must first […]
President Proclaims Missing and Murdered American Indians and Alaska Natives Awareness Day 2020
As shared from WhiteHouse.gov’s Law and Justice Proclamation on May 5, 2020: The American Indian and Alaska Native people have endured generations of injustice. They experience domestic violence, homicide, sexual assault, and abuse far more frequently than other groups. These horrific acts, committed predominantly against women and girls, are egregious and unconscionable. During Missing and […]
Inter-Tribal Council of Nevada Quarterly Meeting
Written by: Tyesha Wood On January 31, 2020, AMBER Alert Training and Technical Assistance Program and AMBER Alert in Indian Country (AATTAP-AIIC) team members Tyesha Wood and Tanea Parmenter attended the quarterly meeting of the Inter-Tribal Council of Nevada (ITCN) in Sparks, Nevada. During this meeting, they provided a brief presentation on the Ashlynne Mike […]
Wind River Inter-Tribal Council AMBER Alert Implementation Meeting
Written by: Tyesha Wood, Project Coordinator, AMBER Alert Training & Technical Assistance Program and ITCN Council Members On March 11, 2020, the AMBER Alert Training and Technical Assistance Program and AMBER Alert in Indian Country (AATTAP-AIIC) team, in partnership with the Wyoming State AMBER Alert Program, conducted a one-day AMBER Alert in Indian Country Implementation […]
AMBER Alert in Indian Country – Issue 1 2020
Short News Clips on AMBER Alert & Child Protection Issues from Indian Country
AMBER Alert in Indian Country – Issue 3 2019
Short News Clips on AMBER Alert & Child Protection Issues from Indian Country
AMBER Alert in Indian Country – Issue 2 2019
Short News Clips on AMBER Alert & Child Protection Issues from Indian Country
Read the Report to Congress
When a child is abducted, every second counts—and every decision matters. AMBER Alert is an early warning system that activates an urgent bulletin to galvanize community support and bring a missing child home. It is a powerful, modern alarm bell.
AMBER Alert in Indian Country
The Navajo Nation brought a nine-month-old baby safely back to his mother after issuing its first Endangered Missing Person Advisory. The Department of Emergency Management issued the advisory for Nickolias Elias Tom on September 26 after his non-custodial father took him and authorities determined the baby was in danger. The advisory was issued at 7:13 […]
AMBER Alert in Indian Country
Tribal leaders, law enforcement, and child protection advocates came together September 25-26 in Fort McDowell, Arizona, to learn, dialogue and network at the inaugural session of what will be a series of collaborative training and technical assistance events under the new Ashlynne Mike AMBER Alert in Indian Country Law. The AMBER Alert Training and Technical […]
AMBER Alert in Indian Country – Summer 2018
Near the steps of the Great Hall of Justice in Washington D.C., a work of art was displayed for all who took part in the 2018 National Missing Children’s Day ceremony. The painting depicts a sorrowful Native American girl holding a single eagle feather. The painting by Santa Fe, New Mexico, artist Kathleen Piccione is […]
AMBER Alert in Indian Country – Spring 2018
The Navajo Nation can now issue its own AMBER Alerts when a child is abducted on tribal lands. The AMBER Alert system is in effect for the eleven counties that cover the reservation in Arizona and Utah. According to Harlan Cleveland, Emergency Coordinator and Acting Director for the Navajo Nation Department of Emergency Management, the […]
HOUSE PASSES McCAIN-HEITKAMP BILL TO EXPAND AMBER ALERT SYSTEM ON NATIVE AMERICAN RESERVATIONS
The following press release was originally posted on: https://www.mccain.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/press-releases?ID=D8F87771-66A8-47F5-9F83-E598051004BE Washington, D.C. – Last night, the House of Representatives passed the Ashlynne Mike AMBER Alert in Indian Country Act, legislation introduced by Senators John McCain (R-AZ) and Heidi Heitkamp (D-ND) in the Senate that would expand the AMBER Alert child abduction warning system on Native American reservations. Specifically, the legislation would clarify […]
Never Forgotten
“Never Forgotten” by Kathleen Piccione (Chippewa) Over the holidays I received a package in the mail which contained a framed print of a Native American child. When I looked closely I saw that the print was signed by the artist and included the inscription; “Never Forgotten, In Memory of Ashlynne”. While the artwork itself is […]
Ashton Fish Performance at the 2017 National AMBER Alert Symposium
It took only a few minutes for 10-year old Ashton Fish to express for everyone at the 2017 AMBER Alert Symposium, through both word and dance, why everything possible must be done to protect missing and abducted children in Indian Country. “I want to be the voice for all the Indian children,” said Fish. […]
Navajo Nation Gets AMBER Alert
By Denise Gee Peacock WINDOW ROCK — On December 12, 2017, Navajo Nation President Russell Begaye signed a contract to purchase a mass notification software to implement an emergency alert system for road closures, weather notifications, hazardous waste spills, wildfires, and AMBER Alerts. “We always pray that we will never have another abduction, but we […]
AMBER Alert in Indian Country – Fall 2017
The AMBER Alert Training and Technical Assistance Program added two new online training opportunities to its array of eLearning courses in September 2017. These two one-hour trainings are uniquely designed for tribal law enforcement and others working in child protection efforts in tribal communities. For complete information, and to register, visit the AMBER Alert in […]
Tribal Child Protection Symposium Offered in North Dakota
Tribal officials and AMBER Alert partners gathered for a child protection symposium on June 1-2, 2017, in Bismarck, North Dakota, to share ideas on helping children in Indian Country. The symposium included presentations on child exploitation, human trafficking, and endangered and abducted children. Presentations addressed the latest tools and technologies to support AMBER Alert programs […]
Native American Youth Illuminates the Path to Protecting Children in Indian Country
It took only a few minutes for 10-year old Ashton Fish to express for everyone at the 2017 AMBER Alert Symposium, through both word and dance, why everything possible must be done to protect missing and abducted children in Indian Country. “I want to be the voice for all the Indian children,” said Fish. “I […]
“She Was a Sweet Girl and Did Not Deserve to Die”
Casey Jo Pipestem was raised in Oklahoma City as a member of the Seminole Tribe. Casey’s grandmother raised her until she passed away when Casey was just 7 years old. She then lived with other relatives, but found it difficult to fit in while living in rural communities. Casey dropped out of high school, moved […]
A Victim’s Story: We Have to Remember Who We Are to Break the Cycle of Violence
Jeri Jimenez has had a lifetime of trauma. She was molested at age 4, grew up in a family with physical and sexual violence and became a victim of sex trafficking after leaving her violent husband. Jimenez is a member of the Klamath Tribe. During the Tribal Symposium, she shared her story with tribal […]
Navajo Tribal Members Use Walk to Raise Awareness About Abduction Victims
Tribal members joined together for a 5-mile walk to Window Rock, the seat of the Navajo Nation, to raise awareness about the AMBER Alert and abducted children. They carried banners, signs and ribbons to keep the memory of 11-year-old Ashlynne Mike alive following her May 2016 abduction and murder. “If something was ever to happen […]
New Mexico Will Issue AMBER Alerts for the Navajo Nation
The Navajo Nation will now issue AMBER Alerts through the New Mexico Child Abduction Alert System. The state would also notify Arizona and Utah if the Navajo Nation issues an AMBER Alert. New Mexico will issue the alerts as the Navajo Nation Alert System Task Force works to fully develop an AMBER Alert program, a […]
2016 TRIBAL SYMPOSIUM
The Tribal Child Protection Leadership Forum and Symposium began with a traditional Native American blessing that included the words, “Oh child where are you?” The events took place in Scottsdale, Arizona, July 19-21, 2016, and included representatives from more than 25 tribes who shared lessons learned and experiences with AMBER Alert Coordinators, Missing Persons Clearinghouse […]