Native American voters could decide major elections in 2024, and grassroots efforts are underway across swing states to get this important electorate out to vote as Democrats and Republicans vie for power. Key issues for Native Americans, particularly Native American women, include the high rate of missing and murdered Indigenous women, according to a 2023 […]
The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has adopted a proposal for an emergency alert that could help save the lives of missing and endangered Indigenous people. The new alert code would make it easier for public safety officials to use TV, radio, and cell phones to notify the public about missing Native Americans and Alaska Natives. […]
Is there hope for the hundreds of missing and murdered indigenous women? An article by Rachel Monroe in The New Yorker begs this question, and the answer may lie in the strength of other Indigenous women. Lela Mailman became an advocate for the voiceless after her 21-year-old daughter, Melanie James, vanished in 2014 in Farmington, […]
By Denise Gee Peacock For those fortunate enough to witness it, one of the most moving moments of the 2024 AMBER Alert & AMBER Alert in Indian Country Symposium came in the guise of a small package—one that guest speaker Pamela Foster quietly handed to AATTAP CART Project Coordinator Derek VanLuchene. Both share a unique […]
By Rebecca Sherman Jolene Hardesty has faced challenges in her 20 years of public service—from her early days as a 911 sheriff’s office dispatcher to her current role as Missing Children’s Clearinghouse Analyst and Missing Persons Coordinator for the Michigan State Police. And while she has helped rescue an estimated 600 children by providing analytical, […]
By Denise Gee Peacock At the 2024 National AMBER Alert Training & Technical Assistance Program (AATTAP)/AMBER Alert in Indian Country (AIIC) Symposium in New Orleans, Pamela Foster—the mother of Ashlynne Mike, namesake of the Ashlynne Mike AMBER Alert in Indian Country Act of 2018—spoke directly to Tribal leadership about the need for AMBER Alerts and AMBER […]
Tyesha M. Wood—a Program Manager for the AMBER Alert Training & Technical Assistance Program (AATTAP) who oversees the AMBER Alert in Indian Country (AIIC) Initiative—is one of five public servants nationwide selected by the End Violence Against Women International (EVAWI) organization as a 2024 “Champion of Change.” EVAWI operates as a catalyst for justice […]
The AMBER Alert Training & Technical Assistance Program’s AMBER Alert in Indian Country (AIIC) team recently provided Technology Toolkits to nearly two dozen Tribal nations in Minnesota and Wisconsin. Each durable toolkit—containing a rugged laptop, webcam, digital camera, scanner, and hotspot device with six free months of WiFi—can help Tribes work more quickly and efficiently […]
The Chickaloon Tribal Police Department in Palmer, Alaska, recently received a Technology Toolkit to help their team quickly and effectively respond to missing child incidents. The Toolkits provide critically important resources for Tribal law enforcement, including a Panasonic Toughbook Tablet, Pelican protector case, headset, scanner, camera, and more. The Toolkits are provided […]
Law enforcement leaders from six federally recognized Tribes in Minnesota recently met with representatives from the AMBER Alert Training and Technical Assistance Program and AMBER Alert in Indian Country initiative as well as the state’s Bureau of Criminal Apprehension and Department of Public Safety. The AMBER Alert in Indian Country (AIIC) team recently provided Technology […]