A total of 220 children were found safe during the six years that Assistant Chief LD Maples oversaw the California AMBER Alert Program. The former State Coordinator created a statewide AMBER Alert training team to teach law enforcement and media. He also created the “California AMBER Alert Criteria Reference Card” to help law enforcement officers make quick decisions during missing or abducted child investigations.
Maples partnered with the National Weather Service to activate the Emergency Alert System and was involved in getting alerts distributed to cell phones, billboards, Internet sites, and tens of thousands of California State Lottery digital terminals. He also developed Endangered Missing Advisories for cases that did not meet the AMBER Alert criteria. On a personal note, the father of 3 recently traveled to Cambodia to help rehabilitate girls rescued from human trafficking. “Maples has demonstrated leadership, innovation, and a personal passion for the AMBER Alert Program,” said California Highway Patrol Officer Janet Lockhart who nominated Maples for this award.