Updated at 12:10 p.m., Wednesday, September 19, 2007
Maile Amber Alert system to be tested in Hawaii today
Advertiser Staff
State and local law enforcement agencies in coordination with local broadcasters will conduct a test of the MAILE AMBER Alert system at 11:45 a.m. today.The test will use the Civil Defense Emergency Alert System and will originate from the Hawai'i Police Department in Hilo.
The program was designed to notify the public when a child has been abducted and to solicit help in locating the child and abductor.
MAILE AMBER is an acronym for Minor Abducted in Life-threatening Emergency and America's Missing Broadcast Emergency Response.
The program was named in memory of 6-year-old Maile Gilbert of Kailua and 9-year-old Amber Hagerman of Arlington, Texas. Maile was abducted on Aug. 25, 1985, from a party in Kailua. Her killer was located several hours later and led detectives to Ka'ena Point, where he had buried Maile's body.
For a Maile Amber Alert to be issued in Hawai'i, the victim must be 17 years of age or younger and believed to be in a life-threatening situation. Moreover, police must have useful information, such as a description of the suspect, the type of vehicle used in the abduction, the license number and the direction of travel.
For further information on Hawai'i's Maile Amber Alert program, call the Missing Child Center-Hawaii, a program of the Department of the Attorney General at 586-1449.
