Governor Josh Green, M.D.

The Department of the Attorney General (AG) recently shared information about the success of the MAILE AMBER alert program in Hawai‘i. The alert has only been activated four times since it was implemented in Hawai‘i in 2005 and all four times the children were safely located. The most recent activation was in February 2024, to find two abducted and missing children.

Missing Child Center – Hawai‘i (MCCH) and MAILE AMBER alert coordinator, Amanda Leonard (who was also named the Department of the Attorney General (AG) 2023 Employee of the Year), was recently featured in Honolulu Magazine and explains the 100% program success rate.

“The success of the MAILE AMBER Alert program is attributed to our community’s passion and perseverance to safeguard our keiki. The public’s response to the alert has resulted in positive outcomes for victims and our program is being praised as a national model by AMBER Alert professionals across the country,” said Leonard “We are grateful for the life-saving preparation and actions by our county police departments, in partnership with the Hawai‘i Emergency Management Agency, Department of Transportation and our office, to fiercely protect Hawai‘i’s keiki.”

In addition to the success of the MAILE AMBER Alert program, the AG and the Department of Human Services announced the results of a multiagency child recovery operation known as Operation Shine the Light in July. The state agencies worked jointly with the Honolulu Police Department, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Investigations Division and the Susannah Wesley Community Center, to locate, recover and provide immediate services to endangered missing children and youth reported as “runaways” across Oʻahu. 

The operation resulted in the safe location and recovery of 11 children and youth between the ages of 15 and 19.

The AG Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force and MCCH originally initiated Operation Shine the Light in 2020 as a cooperative effort between county, state and federal agencies and nonprofit organizations, centered on the recovery and protection of endangered missing foster youth who are at high risk of abuse, exploitation and trafficking.

Anyone with information regarding missing children or the exploitation of children is encouraged to contact your county police department or the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children at 1-800-THE-LOST (1-800-843-5678).