The AMBER Advocate
A U.S. Department of Justice Initiative
Upcoming Trainings Open for Registration
Child Sex Trafficking for First Responders
Lafayette, LA
Child Sex Trafficking (CST) is a crime that is hidden yet in plain sight. First responders are often the first system members to make contact with a CST victim. A CST victim has been heavily groomed for system contact, is fearful of their trafficker, and often not forthcoming about their exploitive situation. Deconstruct the crime of CST and identify common...
Child Abduction Tabletop Exercise (CATE) in Indian Country- 4 Hours
Duckwater, NV
Test your community’s response in conducting an initial investigation, search and canvass activities for a missing or abducted child scenario occurring on tribal lands. Employ strategies and responses in mitigating and resolving the emergency. Participate in a multi-disciplinary, multi-jurisdictional tabletop exercise, to build cohesiveness with tribal, state, local and federal partners when responding to an emergency.
Investigative Strategies for Child Abduction Cases
Aurora, CO
Understand, recognize, and investigate cases involving missing and abducted children. Determine scope and scale issues and how to manage a missing or abducted child case. Explore crime scene evidence collection and processing, profiling suspects, and legal issues, including search warrants and interrogation related to a missing or abducted child.
911-Telecommunicators and Missing & Abducted Children
Appleton, WI
911 Telecommunicators are the first responders in missing children cases, playing a critical, life-saving role as the link between a missing child and their safe return. This interactive course will equip telecommunicators with the essential skills and resources needed to manage these high-stakes situations. By analyzing real cases, learn to recognize the various types of missing children incidents and how...
Child Abduction Response Team Training (CART)
Bethany Beach, DE
Take steps toward implementing a successful CART by bringing together a team of experts whose knowledge, skills, and abilities will be beneficial in a child abduction case. Join us to learn how to develop a multidisciplinary CART for responding to endangered, missing, or abducted children. Hear about the impact a child abduction has on the family and learn the fundamentals...
Child Sex Trafficking for First Responders
Muscle Schoals, AL
Child Sex Trafficking (CST) is a crime that is hidden yet in plain sight. First responders are often the first system members to make contact with a CST victim. A CST victim has been heavily groomed for system contact, is fearful of their trafficker, and often not forthcoming about their exploitive situation. Deconstruct the crime of CST and identify common...
Latest AMBER Advocate News
Parents and siblings of missing children reunite—and renew their commitment to advocacy—at this year’s National Missing Children’s Day in Washington, D.C.
In Hawaii, three successful recoveries of missing children are credited to MAILE AMBER Alerts—and underscore the need for education, training, and an engaged public.
California Highway Patrol AMBER Alert challenge coins honor officers, agencies, and others who go above and beyond in child abduction cases.
Investigating crimes against children also requires focusing on self-care, which is too often overlooked, says Texas AMBER Alert Coordinator and law enforcement training coordinator Michael Nixon.
The work of the AMBER Alert Training & Technical Assistance Program (AATTAP) and its Minnesota-based partners was front-page news this week in the state’s largest newspaper, the Minneapolis Star Tribune.
AATTAP and NCJTC leaders were honored to be invited, along with surviving family members, by OJJDP Administrator Liz Ryan to participate in the 41st National Missing Children’s Day commemoration May...
For those fortunate enough to witness it, one of the Symposium’s most moving moments came in the guise of a small package—one that guest speaker Pamela Foster quietly handed to...
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...
Featured Resources
Child Abduction Response Team (CART) Program Implementation Guide
A Guide to CART Program Components and Implementation
A CART is a multiagency, often multi-jurisdictional, program trained and equipped to respond in the search for and recovery of an endangered missing or abducted child. CART programs serve as a critically important tool agencies can employ in an endangered missing or abducted child incident to promote a rapid and comprehensive community response.
Child Abduction Response Team (CART) Certification Guide
A Guide for Agencies and CART Programs Pursuing Certification
The Child Abduction Response Team (CART) certification program has been developed to assist local and state jurisdictions in the creation and implementation of CART programs, and grew out of the dedication of CART teams throughout the United States who expressed an interest in pursuing quality assurance processes in endangered missing and abducted child incidents.
When Your Child is Missing: A Family Survival Guide
A Guide to Help Families Get the Help Needed
When your child is missing, your mind races through so many questions – what to do, when to do it, and how to do it. It is overwhelming. We understand. We have been there. We designed this publication to help you take each necessary step, contact the right people, and know how to move forward.
AMBER Advocate Magazine
Current Issue
Our third issue of 2024 spotlights “Families Reunited”: Parents and siblings of missing children who came together for this year’s National Missing Children’s Day to discuss how to help other families experiencing the distress and determination felt when a child is missing. Read this and other great stories in the new issue today!
AMBER Alert Best Practices for Public Information Officers (PIOs)
Working Effectively with the Media When a Child is Missing
Best practice recommendations and other important considerations for Public Information Officers in working effectively with the media in endangered missing and abducted child cases
AMBER Alert Best Practices Guide
A Resource for AMBER Alert Programs
Guidelines and important considerations for strengthening and continuously improving AMBER Alert Programs
Field Guide for Law Enforcement Officers
A Resource for Law Enforcement When a Child is Missing
Provides high-level information on law enforcement's investigative response in relation to incidents of endangered missing and abducted children, and the AMBER Alert Process.
AMBER Alert Training and Technical Assistance Program Highlights
2023 Fact Sheet
Highlights of the AATTAP's work as of September 30, 2023
AMBER Alert in Indian Country Initiative Highlights
2023 Fact Sheet
Highlights of the AIIC initiative as of September 30, 2023
What participants are telling us about their training experiences
Child Abduction Response Team (CART) Training | May 3-5, 2024 | Panama City, FL
"Some of the best presenters I have seen. Kept us engaged and were incredibly knowledgeable."
"The instructors were clearly experts in their fields. They made difficult topics easy to take in. They were entertaining and engaging. One of the best trainings I've had the pleasure to attend."
Initial Response Strategies and Tactics When Responding to Missing Children Incidents May 16, 2024 | Elkton, MD
"Great training! Really enjoyed the case studies and all the information provided."
"The Family Perspective presentation gave me important perspectives on what we can do better when dealing with families of victims."
"I enjoyed the roundtable discussions for investigative techniques and resources related to missing persons and child abduction cases."
Child Abduction Response Team (CART) Training | May 19-21, 2024 | Fish Creek, WI
"The scale of the problems which need to be addressed and resolved is huge. This class opened my mind beyond my imagination. Thank you for all your time and effort."
"The training was very beneficial in understanding what a CART team member may encounter and expectations of working in that capacity."
"It was great to see how many moving parts are needed to effectively conduct a child abduction or missing child investigation."
Unresolved Missing Person Cases in Alaskan Native Villages | April 2-3, 2024 | Sutton, AK
"It was pleasing and gratifying that such intelligent, capable, knowledgeable professionals would step from the field into the classroom to help present vital information to this group of intelligent and passionate folks. It was an engaging and informative couple of days which I am grateful to have been able to participate in."
"The instructors are amazingly respectful and patient and never came across as condescending. Lovely people."
"Great interactive presentations. Engaging instructors with expert knowledge."
"I will be bringing this information to my council. Thank you!"
"I will be educating the community(s) about issues that persist within the community and how we
can work together in finding solutions to problems."
Child Sex Trafficking for First Responders | April 19, 2024 | Dover, PA
"The presenters were knowledgeable and really tried engaging the participants."
"The training enhanced my understanding of what to look for and questions to ask when speaking with victims."
"I liked the group discussion and the many different groups that we got to talk with during the training."
"I feel more confident asking the right questions and looking for the right signs that indicate CST."
Search and Canvass Operations in Child Abduction Investigations | May 15-16, 2024 | Huron, OH
"Excellent training! Well organized, and the instructors were great. Would highly recommend it."
"The training provided me with updated information on this topic that I can incorporate in my regular duties as well as police academy instruction."
"Very informative and one of the best classes I’ve attended."
"The class provided knowledge and foresight in anticipating challenges that may be faced by my agency."
Child Abduction Tabletop Exercise | April 4, 2024 | Pleasant Grove, UT
"I enjoyed the collaborative conversation of all the attendees. Each participant brought their own area of knowledge to contribute to the overall discussion, which made for a cohesive approach to problem solving."
"I appreciated the knowledge and experience of the instructors, allowing us all as a group to come up
with good ideas and instructing us when we need to take action as a CART team."
"I liked the fact that all of us had to be engaged in the training. I also loved that the presenter had a ton of experience to share."
AMBER Alert Activation Best Practices | April 30, 2024 | Pearland, TX
"Presenters were very knowledgeable and presented training in a way that held the attention of the attendees. All the information was valuable."
"I appreciated learning how to understand the different types of alerts and knowing when to use them for different types of missing child/person calls."
"I have a better sense of how I can then help the field units to better explain to the parent what necessary steps and other information we need to get the correct broadcast out."
"I liked all the class engagement, and how useful the information was, even for my small agency."
Introduction to Child Abduction Response Teams (CART), Live, Virtual Instructor-Led Training with Argentina | June 5, 2024
“I appreciated the professionalism with which the training was organized, the environment used, the simultaneous translation, the quality of the speakers, and their clarity.”
“I thought the training course was great. The quality and clarity of the presentations, the stories from family members, and the case studies and summaries – all of these demonstrated the quality of the training course.”
“Excellent training course. Very comprehensive and professional. A lot of information was discussed, and yet, the interest and attention were maintained! Thank you very much!”
Child Sex Trafficking for First Responders | June 12, 2024 | Catawissa, PA
"This training was incredibly engaging and full of applicable and practical knowledge and strategies for any size department/area."
"I appreciated the practical experience of the instructors. They clearly have worked extensively and successfully in the branch of law enforcement."
"I felt so honored to have had the opportunity to attend this course. I learned a lot. All the instructors were professional, experienced and interesting. Thank you."
Child Abduction Response Team (CART) | May 29-31 | Orlando, FL
"I enjoyed this training very much. I learned so much and all the instructors are knowledgeable and provided great presentations. Thank you!"
"I really enjoyed the class and the informational. Resources are a huge factor in cases like this. I was able to gain amazing resources that will assist my agency and city."
"We will put this information into presentations to educate future CART coordinators and talk to people in our agency about what we learned. We will also implement new resources that we learned about in the class."
Child Abduction Response Team (CART) | June17-19 | Modesto, CA
"Overall, probably one of the best trainings I’ve been to. A wide variety of speakers with a vast amount of knowledge. I appreciated that even with all the experience, everyone was very humble and reiterated that expert or not, everyone can share knowledge and gain new knowledge. The material was presented well, I enjoyed the mix of video/discussions/group activities. The handbook and pamphlets were dialed in well. Also, I am very appreciative for the QR code sharing and forms, as that makes it a lot easier to not start from square one."
"The instructors were very good at providing examples of how everything works in real life situations."
"This training gave me a better at understanding of how things need to be working behind the scenes, and helped me think about how I can give more patience and empathy to victims’ families."
CHILDREN SAFELY RECOVERED WITH THE HELP OF AMBER ALERT
As of December 31, 2023