U.S. Department of Justice

Office of Justice Programs

Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention 

Implementation of the

Ashlynne Mike AMBER Alert 

in Indian Country Act of 2018

A Report to Congress

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U.S. Department of Justice

Office of Justice Programs

810 Seventh Street NW.

Washington, DC 20531

Caren Harp

Administrator

Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention

Office of Justice Programs

Building Solutions • Supporting Communities • Advancing Justice

ojp.gov

Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention

Enhancing Safety • Ensuring Accountability • Empowering Youth

ojjdp.gov

The Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention is a component of the Office of Justice Programs, 

which also includes the Bureau of Justice Assistance; the Bureau of Justice Statistics; the National Institute 

of Justice; the Office for Victims of Crime; and the Office of Sex Offender Sentencing, Monitoring, 

Apprehending, Registering, and Tracking.
A Report to Congress | i

Implementation of the

Ashlynne Mike AMBER Alert 

in Indian Country Act of 2018

A Report to Congress

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May 2019

NCJ 252671
This document was prepared under cooperative agreement number 2017–MC–FX–K003 from the Office of 

Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, U.S. Department of Justice. 
A Report to Congress | iii

Foreword

When a child is abducted, every second counts—

and every decision matters. AMBER Alert is an early 

warning system that activates an urgent bulletin to 

galvanize community support and bring a missing 

child home. It is a powerful, modern alarm bell. 

And it works. As of April 1, 2019, 957 children had 

been successfully recovered through the AMBER Alert 

program. 

AMBER, an acronym for America’s Missing: Broadcast 

Emergency Response, was launched as a legacy to 

9-year-old Amber Hagerman, who was abducted 

near her home and violently murdered in 1996. In 

2003, the Prosecutorial Remedies and Other Tools 

to End Exploitation of Children Today Act (Pub. L. 

108–21), known as the PROTECT Act, codified the 

national AMBER Alert coordinator role within the U.S. 

Department of Justice. Today, I am honored to serve 

as National AMBER Alert Coordinator.

While the AMBER Alert program has seen many 

successful recoveries, in 2016, the tragic abduction 

and murder of 11-year-old Ashlynne Mike from a 

Navajo reservation revealed dangerous gaps in 

the AMBER Alert system. To address these gaps 

and honor Ashlynne’s memory, AMBER Alert was 

brought to Indian country through the passage of the 

Ashlynne Mike AMBER Alert in Indian Country Act 

(Pub. L. 115–166).

Since the law was passed, Congress has paved the 

way for tribes to access state AMBER Alert plans. 

This report provides Congress with an assessment 

of the readiness, education and training needs, 

technological challenges, and specific obstacles 

tribes encounter when integrating state or regional 

AMBER Alert communication plans. The report 

includes data obtained from surveying tribes and 

state AMBER Alert coordinators who have at least one 

federally recognized tribe within their state. Ultimately, 

the data show that while challenges still remain, 

immense progress has been made. 

Although many tribes are already participating 

in their state AMBER Alert program, the Justice 

Department remains committed to ensuring that every 

Native American and Alaska Native child enjoys the 

protections afforded by the AMBER Alert program. 

They deserve no less. 

Matt M. Dummermuth 

National AMBER Alert Coordinator

Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General

Office of Justice Programs

A Report to Congress | v

Acknowledgments

The Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency 

Prevention (OJJDP) is grateful to the many people who 

contributed to this report. This report would not have 

been possible without the assistance and support of 

the expert staff from the AMBER Alert Training and 

Technical Assistance Program; faculty, staff, and 

student researchers at Arizona State University; the 

McCain Institute; the Bureau of Indian Affairs Office 

of Justice Services; more than 100 tribal leaders 

and public safety officials; and more than 30 state 

AMBER Alert coordinators who contributed their time 

to this effort.

OJJDP would also like to acknowledge the many 

individuals who made significant contributions to the 

report by sharing their expertise, energy, and talents 

to ensure it provides a basis for understanding the 

unique challenges facing tribes and states in the 

effort to implement the Ashlynne Mike AMBER Alert 

in Indian Country Act (Pub. L. 115–166). Through the 

commitment of these individuals to addressing these 

issues, perseverance in preparing this content, and 

dedication to the implementation of the Ashlynne Mike 

AMBER Alert in Indian Country Act, this report will 

be vital to the future of the AMBER Alert program in 

Indian country.

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A Report to Congress | vii

Executive Summary

The Ashlynne Mike AMBER Alert in Indian Country 

Act (Pub. L. 115–166) amends the PROTECT Act 

(Pub. L. 108–21) to reauthorize the AMBER Alert grant 

program. The legislation calls for a report to Congress 

with an assessment of the readiness, education and 

training needs, technological challenges, and specific 

obstacles encountered by tribes in the integration of 

state or regional AMBER Alert communication plans.

This report includes a national assessment, conducted 

by the U.S. Department of Justice through the Office 

of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention’s 

(OJJDP’s) AMBER Alert Training and Technical 

Assistance program, that consists of two separate 

surveys. The first survey, National Survey of Federally 

Recognized Tribes, focused on responses directly 

from federally recognized American Indian tribes. The 

second survey, National Survey of State AMBER Alert 

Coordinators, includes feedback from state AMBER 

Alert coordinators who have at least one federally 

recognized tribe within their state.

The National Survey of Federally Recognized Tribes 

involved direct outreach to federally recognized 

American Indian tribes throughout a 3-week period 

in November 2018. Feedback was received from 

100 tribes located in 26 states for inclusion in this 

report. The results of the survey, the largest ever 

undertaken to determine the extent to which tribal 

communities have adopted the AMBER Alert plan, 

revealed that 76 of the 100 responding tribes 

currently participate in their state AMBER Alert plan. 

However, it also demonstrated that there is much more 

work to be done as it relates to their readiness and 

identified education and training needs, technological 

challenges, and other specific obstacles encountered 

by these tribes in the integration of their state or 

regional AMBER Alert plan.

The National Survey of State AMBER Alert 

Coordinators included specific outreach to 34 state 

AMBER Alert coordinators (AACs) from states with at 

least one federally recognized tribe. Each state AAC 

was surveyed about challenges tribes may face in the 

integration of tribal and state AMBER Alert plans. The 

findings from this survey demonstrated the willingness 

of state programs to collaborate with tribes in the 

integration of tribal and state AMBER Alert plans. Of 

the 33 state AACs who responded and participated in 

the survey, all indicated that each qualified, federally 

recognized tribe in their state was authorized to 

participate in the state AMBER Alert plan.

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viii | Implementation of the Ashlynne Mike AMBER Alert in Indian Country Act of 2018

The following key findings include results from the 

100 tribes across 26 states that completed the 

National Survey of Federally Recognized Tribes and 

from 33 state AACs who participated in the National 

Survey of State AMBER Alert Coordinators.

National Survey of Federally 

Recognized Tribes—Key Findings

• Twenty-five tribes reported having a tribal alerting 

system that can be used to disseminate an alert 

within tribal boundaries in the event of a child 

abduction; however, these systems are not specific 

to AMBER Alert and do not coordinate with the 

state or regional AMBER Alert plan.

• Seventy-five tribes reported they did have an 

emergency plan or checklist to be used in the 

event of a child abduction.

• Eighty-six tribes reported that their tribe is 

authorized to take part in the state AMBER 

Alert plan; however, of those 86 tribes, 

76 (88.4 percent) reported they currently 

participate (through the adoption of state 

AMBER Alert criteria) in their state AMBER Alert 

plan. The 10 remaining tribes have opted not to 

adopt the state AMBER Alert criteria.

• Forty-seven tribes reported their tribal community 

had received training on the AMBER Alert plan.

• Fifty-three tribes reported they had not received 

training on the state AMBER Alert plan.

• Nineteen tribes indicated they do not know how to 

access their state’s AMBER Alert plan.

• Eighteen tribes stated they do not have agreements 

in place with their state or regional AMBER Alert 

plan to allow access.

• Ten tribes stated they lacked technology 

infrastructure, including software and computers 

necessary for integration with the state or regional 

AMBER Alert plan.

National Survey of State AMBER 

Alert Coordinators—Key Findings

Twenty-six (78.8 percent) of the 33 state AACs 

surveyed indicated that the following challenges 

prevented tribes from accessing the state AMBER Alert 

plan:

• Thirteen (50 percent) AACs cited a lack of training 

within the tribal community on the AMBER Alert 

plan as a major obstacle to integration.

• Ten (38.5 percent) AACs indicated that tribes in 

their state do not know how to access the state 

AMBER Alert plan.

• Nine (34.6 percent) AACs cited the tribes’ lack 

of infrastructure (i.e., radio, broadcasting, road 

signs, etc.) to support accessing the state AMBER 

Alert plan as a challenge.

• Eight (30.8 percent) AACs stated that tribes do not 

have a memorandum of understanding or other 

agreement with the state AMBER Alert plan to 

allow access.

• Six (23.1 percent) AACs identified a shortage of 

staffing to support the AMBER Alert plan within 

tribal communities in their state.

• Six (23.1 percent) AACs pointed to the tribes’ 

lack of technological resources (i.e., software, 

computers) as a challenge to integrating with the 

state AMBER Alert plan.

• Three (11.5 percent) AACs indicated that tribes in 

their state likely do not have contact information 

for their state AAC.
A Report to Congress | ix

Foreword ...............................................................................................................................................iii

Acknowledgments .................................................................................................................................... v

Executive Summary ................................................................................................................................ vii

Introduction............................................................................................................................................ 1

History of the AMBER Alert Program.................................................................................................. 2

PROTECT Act ................................................................................................................................. 2

AMBER Alert Criteria....................................................................................................................... 2

State AMBER Alert Coordinators ...................................................................................................... 3

AMBER Alert Training and Technical Assistance Program..................................................................... 4

History of AMBER Alert in Indian Country .......................................................................................... 4

National Survey of Federally Recognized Tribes .......................................................................................... 7

Data Analysis................................................................................................................................. 8

Readiness ..................................................................................................................................... 8

Education and Training Needs ......................................................................................................... 9

Technological Challenges............................................................................................................... 10

Specific Obstacles ........................................................................................................................ 11

National Survey of State AMBER Alert Coordinators ......................................................................... 12

Federally Recognized Tribes’ Access to and/or Participation in the State AMBER Alert Plan ................... 13

Contents

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x | Implementation of the Ashlynne Mike AMBER Alert in Indian Country Act of 2018

Access to the Criminal Justice Information Services System................................................................. 13

Challenges Preventing Tribes From Accessing the State AMBER Alert Plan............................................ 13

Agencies That Provide Law Enforcement Services to the Tribes............................................................ 14

Next Steps and Recommendations........................................................................................................... 15

Recommendations......................................................................................................................... 15

Appendix A. Public Law 115–166 (April 13, 2018), 

 Ashlynne Mike AMBER Alert in Indian Country Act .................................................................................. 17

Appendix B. Tribes That Completed the Survey.......................................................................................... 19

Appendix C. National Survey and Report Team......................................................................................... 23
A Report to Congress | 1

Introduction

On May 2, 2016, 11-year-old Ashlynne Mike and 

her 9-year-old brother, Ian, were abducted after 

school on the Navajo Reservation near their home 

in Shiprock, NM. Hours after the abduction, Ian was 

able to escape his abductor and subsequently would 

be found wandering in the desert, looking for help. 

Although her parents began frantic outreach efforts 

to find Ashlynne, a series of misunderstandings about 

the AMBER Alert process and jurisdictional hurdles 

delayed the issuance of an AMBER Alert until the 

following day, when Ashlynne was discovered brutally 

murdered in a remote area of the Navajo Reservation.

Ashlynne’s case revealed dangerous gaps in public 

safety preparedness and coordination needed to 

find missing and abducted children, heightening the 

awareness of legislators and others that these serious 

obstacles faced by the Navajo Nation were also 

shared by tribes across the country.

As a legacy to Ashlynne, AMBER Alert was brought 

to Indian country through the passage and signing 

into law of the Ashlynne Mike AMBER Alert in 

Indian Country Act in April 2018, nearly 2 years 

after Ashlynne was abducted. Since the law was 

passed, Congress has paved the way for tribes to 

access state AMBER Alert plans that have saved 

957 children as of April 2019. Tribes and states are 

now seeking guidance on the implementation of the 

Ashlynne Mike AMBER Alert in Indian Country Act 

(Pub. L. 115–166).

The Ashlynne Mike AMBER Alert in Indian Country Act 

(see appendix A) amends the Prosecutorial Remedies 

and Other Tools to End the Exploitation of Children 

Today Act (Pub. L. 108–21), known as the PROTECT 

Act, to allow for grants to states and federally 

recognized Indian tribes to:

• Develop or enhance programs and activities for 

the support of AMBER Alert communications plans.

• Integrate tribal AMBER Alert systems into state 

AMBER Alert systems.

• Integrate state or regional AMBER Alert 

communication plans with an Indian tribe.

• Allow the waiver of the matching funds 

requirement for grants awarded to Indian tribes 

that do not have sufficient funds to comply with the 

matching requirement.

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2 | Implementation of the Ashlynne Mike AMBER Alert in Indian Country Act of 2018

This report provides Congress with an assessment 

of the readiness, education and training needs, 

technological challenges, and specific obstacles 

encountered by tribes in the integration of state 

or regional AMBER Alert communication plans. 

The report presents background information on 

the AMBER Alert program, including the role of 

the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) in supporting 

state and local law enforcement, previous efforts by 

DOJ to support AMBER Alert in Indian country, the 

methodology used in conducting the assessment, 

and recommendations for next steps in continuing to 

expand tribes’ access to the AMBER Alert system.

History of the AMBER Alert 

Program

The AMBER Alert system began in Dallas-Fort Worth, 

TX, when broadcasters partnered with local law 

enforcement to develop an early warning system to 

help find abducted children. AMBER, an acronym for 

America’s Missing: Broadcast Emergency Response, 

launched as a legacy to 9-year-old Amber Hagerman. 

Amber was abducted while she was riding her bicycle 

near her home in Arlington, TX, in January 1996. 

Days later, her body was located near a creek in 

Arlington; she had been violently murdered. As a 

result of this case and the public’s response, other 

states and communities began implementing their own 

AMBER Alert plans, and the concept was replicated 

across the nation.

By 2002, when the first White House Conference 

on Missing, Exploited, and Runaway Children took 

place, AMBER Alert had become a national effort. In 

conjunction with the conference, the President asked 

the Attorney General to appoint the first national 

AMBER Alert coordinator.

PROTECT Act

The PROTECT Act was signed into law on April 

30, 2003. The Act strengthened law enforcement’s 

ability to prevent, investigate, prosecute, and punish 

violent crimes committed against children. The Act 

also codified the previously established national 

AMBER Alert coordinator role within DOJ and led to 

the development of a national AMBER Alert strategy. 

The Assistant Attorney General for DOJ’s Office of 

Justice Programs was then assigned responsibility for 

this program.

The law tasked the national AMBER Alert coordinator 

with helping to create a national AMBER Alert 

network, supporting the development of state AMBER 

Alert plans, helping to eliminate geographic gaps in 

AMBER Alert networks, providing regional AMBER 

Alert network coordination, and establishing guidance 

on criteria for issuing an AMBER Alert.

The AMBER Alert plans formed a nationwide plan that 

allowed law enforcement agencies across the country 

to alert the public when a child was abducted. These 

AMBER Alert plans, however, did not extend to tribal 

communities. By 2009, all 50 states, the District of 

Columbia, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands 

had AMBER Alert plans in place. Subsequently, 

the AMBER Alert plan was adopted in some tribal 

communities, the Canadian provinces, and throughout 

Mexico. As the network continues to grow, it has 

expanded to both South America and Central America.

AMBER Alert Criteria

The AMBER Alert program is a voluntary partnership 

between law enforcement agencies, broadcasters, 

transportation agencies, and the wireless industry to 
A Report to Congress | 3

activate an urgent bulletin in the most serious child 

abduction cases. The goal of an AMBER Alert is to 

instantly galvanize the entire community to assist in 

the search for and the safe recovery of the child. In 

2004, DOJ provided guidance to law enforcement, 

broadcasters, transportation officials, and the public 

on AMBER Alert activation criteria. The resulting 

guidance was designed to create a uniform, 

interoperable network of plans across the country and 

to minimize potentially deadly delays due to confusion 

among varying jurisdictions.

DOJ’s recommended criteria for issuing AMBER Alerts 

are as follows (most state plans adhere closely to these 

guidelines):

• Law enforcement must confirm that an abduction 

has taken place.

• The law enforcement agency believes the child 

is in imminent danger of serious bodily injury 

or death.

• There is enough descriptive information about the 

victim and the abduction for law enforcement to 

issue an AMBER Alert to assist in the recovery of 

the child.

• The child must be 17 years old or younger.

• The child’s name and other critical data elements, 

including the Child Abduction (CA) flag, have 

been entered into the National Crime Information 

Center (NCIC) system.

State AMBER Alert Coordinators 

With the presence of AMBER Alert plans in all 

50 states and the District of Columbia, the role of 

the state AAC is vital to the success of the AMBER 

Alert program. AACs are committed to ensuring 

their AMBER Alert plan is working effectively while 

contributing to a larger nationwide network of 

successful AMBER Alert programs.

AACs collaborate with law enforcement and other key 

stakeholders on their states’ AMBER Alert plans. Once 

law enforcement determines an abduction of a child 

(or children) has occurred, they must ensure the case 

meets their state’s AMBER Alert criteria for activation.

In many states, the AAC makes a final determination 

on the issuance of the AMBER Alert; in other 

jurisdictions, the investigating law enforcement agency 

may issue the AMBER Alert. Regardless of who has 

final activation authority, all cases must meet the 

criteria outlined in their state or regional AMBER Alert 

plans. If met, the AAC and/or person with activation 

authority issues the AMBER Alert. As a result, a 

broadcast of the AMBER Alert is sent to cell phones, 

radio, television, roadway signs, and a network of 

secondary distributions operated by the National 

Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC). 

Secondary distribution includes digital signage, hotel 

chains, Internet service providers, apps, and other 

technologies. A complete list of secondary distributors 

is available at www.amberalert.gov/secondary_

distribution.htm. 

The work of state AACs is essential to ensuring 

an AMBER Alert plan is in place and functioning 

effectively to provide swift and decisive public alerting 

in the event of a child abduction. AACs also play a 

critical role in developing and delivering outreach 

and training for all law enforcement agencies in their 

state and/or regions to ensure AMBER Alert criteria, 

activation processes, tools, and technologies for 

activation are understood. When a child abduction 

is known or suspected, the AAC can provide 

many additional resources, as well as process and 

decisional support, to ensure the best approach to 

public alerting is used during the investigation.

It is also important to understand the role the AAC 

plays in connecting tribal communities with state and 

local resources in the event of a child abduction. The 

AAC has skills and experience, gained from multiple 

AMBER Alert activations, that will provide invaluable 

support to tribal partners. Accordingly, the AAC is 

a critical resource available to work with tribes and 
4 | Implementation of the Ashlynne Mike AMBER Alert in Indian Country Act of 2018

AMBER Alert partners in the state to ensure they are 

prepared to handle a child abduction case through 

collaboration, joint training, and education.

The following includes additional responsibilities many 

AACs perform as the state or regional AMBER Alert 

coordinator:

• Coordinate and enlist AMBER Alert partners.

• Ensure AMBER Alerts are disseminated rapidly 

and effectively.

• Coordinate tests of AMBER Alert messaging and 

distribution technologies/systems.

• Provide training for law enforcement, the media, 

and other partners.

• Oversee after-action reviews and reporting.

• Promote public awareness of and education 

related to AMBER Alerts.

AMBER Alert Training and 

Technical Assistance Program

One of the primary goals of the PROTECT Act is to 

ensure law enforcement has the skills and knowledge 

necessary to locate and safely recover missing and 

abducted children. As previously mentioned, the 

issuance of an AMBER Alert is the responsibility of 

state or local law enforcement and not the federal 

government. Although the Secretary of Transportation 

is responsible for the grant program relating to 

notification and communications systems along 

highways to foster recovery of abducted children 

(Pub. L. 108–21, Title III Subtitle A, Sec. 303(a)), 

the Attorney General is charged with implementing 

a grant program for support of AMBER Alert 

communications plans. 

In response to the PROTECT Act, OJJDP established 

the AMBER Alert Training and Technical Assistance 

Program (AATTAP) to enhance the national AMBER 

Alert network and provide support to state AACs. 

Due to the limited amount of funding appropriated 

for this part of the PROTECT Act, grant funding is 

provided on an annual basis to support the efforts of 

AATTAP. This approach—rather than providing small, 

competitive awards to a portion or all 50 states, the 

District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin 

Islands—has allowed DOJ to broaden the reach 

of the available training and technical assistance 

required by law enforcement to execute their AMBER 

Alert plans.

In keeping with its mission, AATTAP works to safely 

recover missing, endangered, and abducted children 

through the coordinated efforts of law enforcement, 

the media, transportation, and other partners who 

rely on training and technology to enhance response 

capacities and increase public participation. Since 

2003, AATTAP has played a critical role in improving 

law enforcement’s response to missing, endangered, 

and abducted children and has helped increase the 

rate of recovery.

History of AMBER Alert in 

Indian Country

As OJJDP continued to support AATTAP as a means of 

providing effective training and technical assistance 

for law enforcement and other child protection officials 

throughout the country, the Office recognized the 

need for specialized training unique to Indian country. 

Tribal communities face challenges in developing and 

implementing comprehensive child abduction recovery 

plans. These challenges include a history of cultural 

intervention, the complexity of jurisdictional issues, 

a lack of centralized reporting and historical data, 

and a misunderstanding of Indian child welfare law 

outside of tribal borders.
A Report to Congress | 5

Tribes often have a shortage of critical resources, 

such as staffing and technology, which include call 

intake and case management software. Many lack 

access to criminal justice information systems needed 

to enter missing child and suspect information into 

national databases, such as the NCIC database. In 

addition, tribal law enforcement may need further 

infrastructure and equipment to support operational 

communications, as well as command and control 

capabilities for search operations. 

In 2007, in recognition of the needs and gaps in 

Indian country, OJJDP launched the AMBER Alert 

in Indian Country Pilot Project, which provided an 

unprecedented opportunity for tribal communities 

to develop capabilities and capacity to respond to 

endangered, missing, and abducted children. The 

goal of the pilot project was to support the recovery 

of missing and abducted children by providing 

interoperability, infrastructure, and resources to meet 

Figure 1. Ten Pilot Sites Identified Across the Country

the specific needs of tribal communities. The 10 pilot 

sites identified across the country (see figure 1) 

underwent indepth assessments of their preparedness, 

infrastructure, and capabilities to respond to 

endangered, missing, and abducted children.

The assessments found most tribes did not have 

adequate call intake and case management systems. 

Additionally, many faced infrastructure limitations, 

which made it impossible to create their own plan or 

collaborate with their state’s AMBER Alert plan.

The pilot project also revealed that with the right 

training, resources, and protocols, tribal agencies 

were able to provide a response to reports of missing 

and abducted children that were as effective as the 

state or local agencies serving their neighboring 

communities. Furthermore, it demonstrated that the 

investigation of child abductions requires specialized 

training and ongoing preparation to keep procedures, 

equipment, and skills current.

• Yakima, WA

• Crow, MT

• Northern Arapaho, WY

• Winnebago, NE

• Eastern Cherokee, NC

• Choctaw, OK

• Pueblos of Acoma, Laguna, 

 and Zuni, NM

• Navajo, AZ and NM

• Salt River, AZ

• Gila River, AZ

• 

• 

• 

• 

• • 

• • 

• • 
6 | Implementation of the Ashlynne Mike AMBER Alert in Indian Country Act of 2018

As a result of these assessments, each tribe then 

participated in training focused on the 12 key 

components of an AMBER Alert plan, with an 

emphasis on improving competencies of tribal officers, 

implementing case management systems, developing 

policies and procedures for personnel, and involving 

community members in planned responses to child 

abduction reports. Figure 2 includes the 12 key 

components for effective AMBER Alert programs. 

Each component is equally important and critical to 

the implementation and execution of a comprehensive 

AMBER Alert plan.

Child abductions are high-risk events yet they occur 

with low frequency, which magnifies the need 

for ongoing training, planning, and preparation. 

Since the conclusion of the AMBER Alert in Indian 

Figure 2. Twelve Necessary Components of AMBER Alert Plans

Country Pilot Project in 2010, AATTAP has conducted 

50 training and technical assistance projects in 

tribal communities, training more than 2,000 tribal 

child protection officials. However, Native American 

communities in the United States continue to be 

underserved by the AMBER Alert program. Tribal 

communities and state programs have the opportunity 

to collaborate on agreements and resolutions that 

would provide access to the AMBER Alert system for 

all tribes. By using lessons learned from the AMBER 

Alert in Indian Country Pilot Project, and assessing 

changes related to technology, capacity, and 

capabilities among the tribes since the pilot period, 

OJJDP is well positioned to successfully implement 

and establish AMBER Alert plans in tribal communities 

across the nation.

Clear/effective plan title established and promoted 

Stakeholders/partners identified and engaged 

Memorandums of understanding established 

Activation criteria established and promoted 

Activation authority established

After-action reporting process and format

Tools to activate and manage alerts

Technology to activate and manage alerts

Phone bank planning and operations

Training developed and administered

Quality control measures and processes

AMBER Alert committee established and engaged
A Report to Congress | 7

National Survey of Federally 

Recognized Tribes 

AMBER Alert exists in all 50 states because Congress 

took the steps to support state efforts to refine, 

standardize, and implement this work. Congress 

is now providing the same opportunity for tribes to 

access and participate in their state AMBER Alert 

programs, which have already saved 957 children as 

of April 2019.

This report includes an assessment of federally 

recognized American Indian tribes in relation to 

AMBER Alert in Indian country. This assessment 

included a survey of these tribes via telephone or 

through an online portal during a 3-week period 

in November 2018. The 12-question survey was 

developed with input and review from OJJDP, 

AMBER Alert tribal consultants, and AATTAP program 

staff with extensive experience in training and 

collaborating with tribal law enforcement. The survey 

involved 1 demographic set of questions, 10 forcedchoice questions, and 1 open-ended narrative 

question. It explored each tribal law enforcement 

department’s readiness, education and training needs, 

technological challenges, and specific obstacles 

encountered in the integration of state or regional 

AMBER Alert communication plans.

In preparation for the survey launch, researchers at 

Arizona State University compiled a list of federally 

recognized tribes provided by the Bureau of Indian 

Affairs (BIA) Office of Justice Services. Then, the 

researchers attempted to contact all 573 tribes on 

the list, excluding 229 Alaska Native villages,1 tribes 

in Pub. L. 83–280 states (which do not have law 

enforcement agencies), the 10 tribes involved with the 

2007 AMBER Alert in Indian Country Pilot Project, 

and tribes/pueblos in New Mexico because of the 

state’s involvement in the original pilot project.2 As 

a result of this outreach, data from 100 federally 

recognized American Indian tribes were evaluated as 

part of this report.

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1 Alaska Native villages are unique in relation to AMBER Alert. Alaska state troopers provide AMBER Alerts statewide to all agencies 

and communities, including their Alaska Native villages.

2 As part of this pilot project, New Mexico developed tribal and state agreements with all tribes/pueblos as part of a comprehensive 

plan to provide tribal access to their state AMBER Alert plan. 
8 | Implementation of the Ashlynne Mike AMBER Alert in Indian Country Act of 2018

Data Analysis

For inclusion in this report, the survey team received 

and analyzed survey responses from 100 federally 

recognized American Indian tribes. The 100 tribes 

that participated in the National Survey of Federally 

Recognized Tribes were from the 26 states noted 

in table 1. Table 2 breaks down the professional 

roles held by the 100 individuals who completed 

the survey.

Readiness 

Twenty-five tribes reported that they currently have 

an AMBER Alert or other child abduction alert plan 

specific to only tribal lands, while 75 reported they 

did have an emergency plan or checklist to be used in 

the event of a child abduction.

There were a number of different combinations 

regarding what types of law enforcement were 

provided on tribal lands. Eighty-three respondents 

reported a tribal law enforcement agency with selfgovernance (Indian Self-Determination and Education 

Assistance Act, Pub. L. 93–638), 15 reported a 

combination of tribal law enforcement and BIA 

policing, and 2 received law enforcement exclusively 

from BIA.

The two tribes that identified BIA as their sole law 

enforcement services provider reported that they did 

not know whether their tribe participated in their state’s 

AMBER Alert plan. Twelve of the tribes with tribal 

governance and a tribal police department did not 

know if they used their state’s AMBER Alert plan; five 

noted they did not use it. Three tribes with both BIA and 

tribal law enforcement did not know if their tribe used 

their state’s AMBER Alert plan and two did not use it. 

This survey found that a tribe was more likely to use or 

know about their state AMBER Alert plan if they had 

their own tribal law enforcement department.

Table 1. States of Participating Tribes

State of Participating 

Tribes

Number of Participating 

Tribes

State of Participating 

Tribes

Number of Participating 

Tribes

Alabama

Arizona

California

Colorado

Connecticut

Florida

Iowa

Idaho

Kansas

Louisiana

Massachusetts

Maine

Michigan

1

9

7

2

2

1

1

1

4

2

1

1

7

Minnesota

Mississippi

Montana

Nevada

New York

Oklahoma

Oregon

Rhode Island

South Dakota

Texas

Utah

Washington

Wisconsin

5

1

2

5

1

13

3

1

5

2

1

17

5

Total 100
A Report to Congress | 9

Table 2. Professional Roles Held by Respondents

Professional Roles Held by Respondents

33 Police Chiefs

7 Police Lieutenants

8 Police Captains

6 Police Sergeants

2 Detective Sergeants

2 Detectives

2 Directors

3 Emergency Managers

2 Administrative Lieutenants

3 Police Officers

2 Communication Supervisors

2 Program Directors

1 Accreditation Manager

2 Assistant Police Chiefs

1 Tribal Chairman

1 Police Commissioner

1 Communication Manager

1 Community Policing Officer

1 Crime Victim Advocate

1 Deputy Sheriff

1 Director of Public Safety

3 Emergency Management Directors

1 Enrollment Specialist

2 Lead Dispatchers

1 Sex Trafficking Investigator

4 Office Administrators

1 Public Safety Director

1 Record Sergeant

1 Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act 

 (SORNA) Coordinator

1 Emergency Communications Supervisor

1 Supervisor for Emergency Center

2 Tribal Administrators

While 86 tribes reported having access to their 

state AMBER Alert program, 76 reported they 

currently participate in their state AMBER Alert 

plan, and 17 respondents did not know if their tribe 

participated. Of the tribes that do not have a policy 

or plan in place that addresses how to respond to 

a missing child, it was also reported that they were 

currently not accessing their state AMBER Alert 

plan. These tribes were located in Arizona, Kansas, 

Montana, Nevada, Oklahoma, Rhode Island, 

and Utah.

Based on the results of the survey, respondents 

confirmed that tribes require assistance in developing 

policies and procedures related to intake and 

dissemination of an AMBER Alert. In some cases, 

this can be as simple as connecting tribal authorities 

with the state AMBER Alert plan, while others may 

need more indepth training and technical assistance 

on initial call intake, field response, and assessment 

of the circumstances surrounding the missing child 

to determine whether it meets the criteria for an 

AMBER Alert.

Education and Training Needs

Typically, tribal communities have been only indirectly 

involved in the AMBER Alerts originating from state or 

regional AMBER Alert plans near tribal lands. Tribal 

officials recognize a significant need to educate the 

public about what the AMBER Alert does and does 

not do, so that community members have realistic 

expectations and an understanding of how to notify 

and assist authorities in the aftermath of an AMBER 

Alert. One tribe reported that new programs such as 
10 | Implementation of the Ashlynne Mike AMBER Alert in Indian Country Act of 2018

AMBER Alert in Indian Country only get implemented 

after an incident has occurred on their tribal land and 

hoped to see tribal leadership become more proactive 

in their support of law enforcement. Another tribe 

reported a general lack of understanding about how 

an AMBER Alert can be implemented on tribal land 

using their state’s AMBER Alert plan.

Forty-seven tribes reported their tribal community 

had received training on the AMBER Alert plan, with 

53 tribes reporting they had not received training on 

the AMBER Alert plan.

Fourteen tribes reported they would like assistance in 

accessing their state’s AMBER Alert plan. Nineteen 

tribes responded that one of their challenges to 

accessing and using their state’s AMBER Alert plan 

was that they did not know how to access the plan. 

Another 19 tribes identified that a challenge to 

accessing their state AMBER Alert plan was that they 

lacked training on AMBER Alert in their community. 

Three tribes reported their tribal community leadership 

does not support the implementation of the AMBER 

Alert plan. One tribe commented on the need to have 

the AMBER Alert training designed specifically to 

include issues present on tribal land with the complex 

challenges faced by the lack of resources and 

jurisdiction issues.

Specific AMBER Alert plan trainings identified 

by participants in the assessment included how 

to connect to their state AAC, how to develop a 

checklist, trainings provided specifically to their social 

services and law enforcement about how to engage 

the AMBER Alert plan, and tribal-specific AMBER Alert 

concerns and actions.

The contributors to this report, as well as past 

participants in AATTAP training events related 

to Indian country, have identified a need for 

tribal-specific training on the critical elements 

of a comprehensive child recovery strategy. 

A comprehensive child recovery strategy is a 

multifaceted approach to responding to the child 

abduction or endangered missing event, of which 

the AMBER Alert is one part of the strategy. The 

Comprehensive Child Recovery Strategy also stresses 

critical concepts such as training, policy, readiness, 

and oversight (see figure 3).

Technological Challenges

A common theme among tribes is the need for an 

information dissemination portal to issue AMBER 

Alerts, which will help to reduce response times 

and engage the community in efforts to locate and 

Figure 3. Comprehensive Child Recovery Strategy

Comprehensive Child Recovery Strategy

Program Strategy

Agreements and Policy

Operational Readiness

Procedures and Field

Resources

Competency and 

Continuous Improvement

Training, After-Action, 

and Process Work

Building relationships, identifying resources, establishing agreements, 

training, and continuous improvement: ALL ARE CRITICAL in being ready to 

respond to missing child incidents.
A Report to Congress | 11

safely recover a missing child. Of the 100 survey 

respondents, 94 tribes reported they had access 

to the NCIC and 90 reported having access to the 

Criminal Justice Information Services (CJIS) system. 

Ten tribes noted a lack of technological resources as 

a challenge preventing their tribe from participating 

in their state’s AMBER Alert plan. One tribe noted 

their police department had only three computers. 

Ten tribes identified a lack of infrastructure involving 

radio, broadcasting tools, and road signs to support 

an AMBER Alert on tribal lands.

Specific Obstacles

As part of this survey, respondents from the 100 

participating tribes identified various specific obstacles 

related to the implementation of AMBER Alert in Indian 

country. Fourteen tribes reported being unable to 

participate with a state AMBER Alert plan because 

they did not have contact information for their state 

AAC. Eighteen tribes cited a lack of a memorandum 

of understanding as a barrier to participation in their 

state’s AMBER Alert plan. Fourteen tribes identified 

staff shortages to support the AMBER Alert plan. Other 

obstacles identified by the tribes included having a 

broken or nonfunctioning radio system, no road signs, 

and the lack of a public information system to send 

information to their community.

In addition, survey participants mentioned having 

difficulties coordinating with their state AAC. Some 

also wondered how they could successfully participate 

in an AMBER Alert plan given their reservation’s large 

expanse of diverse terrain, which makes it difficult to 

contact a small number of people living within it.

Table 3 contains a list of challenges to accessing the 

state AMBER Alert plan and the corresponding number 

of tribes identifying them as their greatest hurdles.

Table 3. Challenges Preventing Tribes From Accessing the State 

 AMBER Alert Plan

Challenges Preventing Tribes From 

Accessing the State AMBER Alert Plan

Percent of Respondents 

(N = 100)

Education and Training Needs: Lack of training in the tribal 

community on the AMBER Alert program

Education and Training Needs: Tribes do not know how to 

access the state AMBER Alert plan

Readiness: Tribes do not have a memorandum of 

understanding

Readiness: Tribes do not have access to the state AMBER 

Alert plan

Specific Obstacles: Tribes reported lack of staff to support the 

AMBER Alert plan

Readiness: Tribes do not have contact information for their 

state AMBER Alert coordinator

Technological Challenges: Tribes lack infrastructure (i.e., radio, 

broadcasting, road signs) to support the AMBER Alert plan

Technological Challenges: Tribes lack technology infrastructure, 

including software and computers

Specific Obstacles: Tribes lack community support with the 

implementation of the state AMBER Alert plan

51%

19%

18%

17%

14%

14%

10%

10%

3%
12 | Implementation of the Ashlynne Mike AMBER Alert in Indian Country Act of 2018

DC

MD

DE

NJ

CT

MA

NH

VT

ME

NY

PA

WV

OH

MI

IL IN

KY

TN

VA

NC

SC

MS AL GA

MO

IA

MN

ND

SD

NE

KS

OK

TX

NM

CO

WY

MT

WA

ID

OR

NV

CA

UT

AZ

AK

HI

WI

AR

LA

FL

RI

Figure 4. States Participating in National AMBER Alert Coordinator Survey

National Survey of State AMBER 

Alert Coordinators

AATTAP sent a second, 10-question survey, the 

National Survey of State AMBER Alert Coordinators, 

to 34 state AACs who have at least one federally 

recognized tribe in their state. The AACs were 

asked to evaluate the readiness, education and 

training needs, technological challenges, and 

specific obstacles encountered by tribes that wish to 

integrate with their state or regional AMBER Alert 

communication plans. Thirty-three of the 34 AACs 

(97.1 percent) who received the followup survey 

responded (see figure 4).

OJJDP, AMBER Alert tribal consultants, and AATTAP 

program staff with extensive experience in training 

and collaborating with tribal law enforcement 

developed and/or provided input on the survey. It 

included one demographic set of questions, eight 

forced-choice questions, and one open-ended 

narrative question on the following topics:

• Federally recognized tribes’ access to and/or 

participation in the state AMBER Alert plan.

• Access to the CJIS system.

• Challenges preventing tribes from accessing the 

state AMBER Alert plan.

• Agencies that provide law enforcement services to 

the tribes.
A Report to Congress | 13

Federally Recognized Tribes’ 

Access to and/or Participation 

in the State AMBER Alert Plan

Of the 33 AACs who completed the survey, 28 

(84.8 percent) indicated that federally recognized 

tribes in their state currently have access to the state 

AMBER Alert plan. Of those reporting access, 14 

(42.4 percent) stated that all federally recognized 

tribes in their state currently participate in the 

state AMBER Alert plan, including 195 federally 

recognized American Indian tribes and more than 

200 Alaska Native villages. It should be noted 

that Alaska is unique in that Alaska state troopers 

provide AMBER Alerts statewide to all agencies and 

communities, including their Native villages.

Other AACs noted they were unaware of whether 

the tribes in their state participated in their state 

AMBER Alert plan. Several respondents were 

uncertain of participation because they had never 

received a request for activation of an AMBER Alert 

from a tribe in their state. Others indicated that only 

some tribes in their state participate, and one AAC 

reported a tribe in their state was pending eligibility 

following completion of AMBER Alert process and 

procedures training.

Access to the Criminal Justice 

Information Services System

Participants were asked about tribal access to the 

CJIS system in their state. Thirteen (39.4 percent) 

respondents reported that all federally recognized 

tribes in their state have access to CJIS, while seven 

(21.2 percent) noted that only some of their states’ 

tribes have access. Three (9 percent) AACs also 

indicated the tribe must meet special conditions 

before accessing their states’ law enforcement 

telecommunication system (which serves as a frontend access point or switch to the CJIS-NCIC system). 

Conditions include being trained to use the NCIC 

system, completing NCIC and CJIS certification, 

and being a sworn police officer or nonsworn 

telecommunicator. The remaining respondents did not 

know, were unsure, or did not respond.

Challenges Preventing Tribes 

From Accessing the State AMBER 

Alert Plan

AATTAP provided AACs a list of potential obstacles to 

accessing their states’ AMBER Alert plans and asked 

them to select the most problematic challenges. Of 

the 26 (78.8 percent) AACs who responded to this 

question, half (50 percent) indicated a lack of AMBER 

Alert training in the tribal community as the biggest 

problem preventing integration. One respondent 

stated, “The high turnover of law enforcement officers 

and dispatchers make training personnel a constant 

challenge.” Another indicated, “Training is needed 

for tribes on how the state AMBER Alert plan works.” 

Others remarked, “There is a greater need for training 

that is specific to building relationships with the tribes” 

and “...any assistance to make in-person contact with 

each tribe and assistance in locating the right contacts 

for each tribe [would be helpful].”
14 | Implementation of the Ashlynne Mike AMBER Alert in Indian Country Act of 2018

Table 4 shows the challenges and corresponding 

number of AACs identifying them as their greatest 

challenges.

Agencies That Provide Law 

Enforcement Services to the 

Tribes

Of the 33 survey participants, 7 (21.2 percent) 

noted that at least 3 different agencies provide 

law enforcement services to tribes in their state. 

Eight (24.2 percent) AACs reported at least 

2 different agencies, 16 (48.5 percent) stated that 

only 1 agency provided law enforcement services, 

and 2 (6.1 percent) AACs did not respond. These 

agencies include BIA, tribal police department 

(Pub. L. 93–638)/self-governance, and others (i.e., 

the Federal Bureau of Investigation, county sheriff’s 

office, highway state patrol).

Specifically, 14 (42.4 percent) AACs noted BIA, 

23 (69.7 percent) reported tribal police department 

(Pub. L. 93–638)/self-governance, and 16 (48.5 

percent) AACs stated “other.”

Table 4. AMBER Alert Coordinator Survey on Challenges Preventing Tribes 

 From Accessing the State AMBER Alert Plan

Challenges Preventing Tribes From Number of Percent of 

Accessing the State AMBER Alert Plan Respondents Respondents

Education and Training Needs: Lack of training in the tribal 

community on the AMBER Alert program

Education and Training Needs: Tribes do not know how to 

access the state AMBER Alert plan

Technological Challenges: Tribes lack infrastructure (i.e., radio, 

broadcasting, road signs) to support the AMBER Alert plan

Readiness: Tribes do not have a memorandum of understanding 

or other agreement with the state AMBER Alert plan

Specific Obstacles: Shortage of staffing to support the AMBER 

Alert plan in the tribal community

Technological Challenges: Tribes lack technological resources 

(i.e., software, computers) to support the AMBER Alert plan

Specific Obstacles: Tribes do not have a police department in 

their community

Readiness: Tribes do not have contact information for their 

state AMBER Alert coordinator

Readiness: Tribes do not have access to the state AMBER 

Alert plan

13 50.0%

10 38.5%

9 34.6%

8 30.8%

6 23.1%

6 23.1%

3 11.5%

3 11.5%

0 0.0%

Note: Not all 33 respondents answered each question. The table shows how many AMBER Alert coordinators responded to a 

specific question.
A Report to Congress | 15

Next Steps and

Recommendations 

To support the expansion of AMBER Alert in Indian 

country, OJJDP will continue to collect data on the 

specific needs of tribes and states. The intent of this 

data collection effort is to collect responses from all 

federally recognized tribes in the United States.

• OJJDP will continue outreach to all federally 

recognized tribes in the upcoming year that did 

not respond, or those tribes for which insufficient 

contact information was available at the time of 

this report.

• OJJDP will work with BIA to contact officials at 

tribes with BIA-administered law enforcement 

agencies to assess the status of those communities 

that have not yet been surveyed.

• OJJDP will contact the 10 pilot sites and tribes/

pueblos in New Mexico that participated in the 

2007 AMBER Alert in Indian Country Pilot Project. 

The focus of this outreach will be to determine 

their current training and technical assistance 

needs to maintain their capacity and capabilities 

related to responding to endangered missing and 

abducted children.

Recommendations

The findings of this assessment present a strong 

argument that tribal communities are committed to 

bringing AMBER Alert plans to their communities 

and jurisdictions. As part of the Ashlynne Mike 

AMBER Alert in Indian Country Act (Pub. L. 108–21), 

it is crucial for AACs and tribes to collaborate in 

the integration of tribal communities into the state or 

regional AMBER Alert communication plans. State 

AMBER Alert programs have strong experience in 

issuing and disseminating alerts and possess the 

existing infrastructure and resources to support the 

AMBER Alert plan.

To further support the implementation of the Ashlynne 

Mike AMBER Alert in Indian Country Act, OJJDP 

(through AATTAP) will do the following:

• Provide education and awareness on the 

AMBER Alert program and the legislation to 

tribal leaders, community members, and state 

AMBER Alert officials. This education will be 

critical to develop a better understanding of the 

benefits of tribal participation in the state or 

regional AMBER Alert plan.

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16 | Implementation of the Ashlynne Mike AMBER Alert in Indian Country Act of 2018

• Conduct a series of meetings between tribes 

and their state and regional AMBER Alert plan 

partners, state AAC, and appropriate state 

officials. The focus of these meetings will be on 

identifying the AMBER Alert plan processes and 

procedures needed to successfully integrate tribal 

and state AMBER Alert plans.

• Provide the necessary training and technical 

assistance to tribes and states to ensure that tribal 

officials, first responders, and child protection 

officials have the capability and capacity to 

respond to reports of endangered, missing, and 

abducted children. Furthermore, these events 

will focus on effectively using the AMBER Alert 

plan to improve their ability to safely recover 

missing children.

Although many tribes and states are developing 

partnerships and cooperative agreements, others 

have yet to conduct initial outreach and work 

collaboratively to make AMBER Alert a reality in their 

communities. These facilitated meetings between states 

and tribes, as well as continued training and technical 

assistance specific to tribal communities, will help 

achieve the goal of the Ashlynne Mike AMBER Alert 

in Indian Country Act, and give tribal communities 

access to this critically important resource proven to 

safely recover endangered missing and abducted 

children. 
A Report to Congress | 17

Appendix A. Public Law 115–166 

(April 13, 2018), Ashlynne 

Mike AMBER Alert in 

Indian Country Act 

To amend the PROTECT Act to make Indian tribes 

eligible for AMBER Alert grants.

Section 1. Short title

This Act may be cited as the “Ashlynne Mike AMBER 

Alert in Indian Country Act.”

Section 2. AMBER Alert grants 

for Indian tribes

Section 304 of the PROTECT Act (34 U.S.C. 20504) 

is amended—

(1) by amending subsection (a) to read as follows:

(a) Program required–

The Attorney General shall carry out a 

program to provide grants to States and 

Indian tribes for—

(1) the development or enhancement of 

programs and activities for the support of 

AMBER Alert communications plans; and

(2) the integration of tribal AMBER Alert 

systems into State AMBER Alert systems.

(2) in subsection (b)—

(A) in paragraph (3), by striking “and” at the end;

(B) by redesignating paragraph (4) as paragraph

(5); and 

(C) by inserting after paragraph (3) the following:

(4) the integration of State or regional AMBER 

Alert communication plans with an Indian 

tribe; and

(3) in subsection (c)—

(A) by striking “The Federal” and inserting the 

following:

(1) In general–

Except as provided in paragraph (2), the 

Federal; and

(B) by adding at the end the following:

(2) Waiver of Federal share–

If the Attorney General determines that an 

Indian tribe does not have sufficient funds 

available to comply with the Federal share 

requirement under paragraph (1) for the 

cost of activities funded by a grant for the 

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18 | Implementation of the Ashlynne Mike AMBER Alert in Indian Country Act of 2018

purpose described in subsection (b)(4), the 

Attorney General may increase the Federal 

share of the costs for such activities to the 

extent the Attorney General determines 

necessary;

(4) in subsection (e), by striking “for grants under” 

and inserting “and standards to improve 

accountability and transparency for grants 

awarded under”;

(5) by redesignating subsection (f) as subsection (g);

(6) by inserting after subsection (e) the following:

(f) Definition of Indian tribe–

In this section, the term “Indian tribe” means a 

federally recognized Indian tribe or a Native 

village, Regional Corporation, or Village 

Corporation (as those terms are defined 

in section 3 of the Alaska Native Claims 

Settlement Act (43 U.S.C. 1602)).; and

(7) in subsection (g)(1), as so redesignated—

(A) by striking “2004” each place it appears and 

inserting “2019”; and

(B) by striking “subsection (b)(3)” and inserting 

“paragraphs (3) and (4) of subsection (b)”.

Section 3. Report to Congress

Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment 

of this Act, the Attorney General shall submit a 

report evaluating the readiness, education, and 

training needs, technological challenges, and 

specific obstacles encountered by Indian tribes in 

the integration of State or regional AMBER Alert 

communication plans to—

(1) the Committee on Indian Affairs of the Senate;

(2) the Committee on the Judiciary of the Senate;

(3) the Committee on Natural Resources of the House 

of Representatives; and

(4) the Committee on the Judiciary of the House of 

Representatives.
Appendix B. Tribes That 

Completed the Survey 

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Tribes

Absentee-Shawnee Tribe of Indians Colorado River Indian Tribes of Coushatta Tribe of Louisiana

of Oklahoma the Colorado Indian Reservation, 

Arizona and California

Alabama-Coushatta Tribe of Texas Comanche Nation, Oklahoma Duckwater Shoshone Tribe of the 

Duckwater Reservation, Nevada

Blue Lake Rancheria, California Confederated Salish and Kootenai Grand Traverse Band of Ottawa 

Tribes of the Flathead Reservation and Chippewa Indians

Caddo Nation of Oklahoma Confederated Tribes and Bands of Hannahville Indian Community, 

the Yakama Nation Michigan

Cayuga Nation Confederated Tribes of Coos, Havasupai Tribe of the Havasupai 

Lower Umpqua and Siuslaw Reservation, Arizona

Indians

Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe of the Confederated Tribes of the Hoh Indian Tribe

Cheyenne River Reservation, South Chehalis Reservation

Dakota

Chickasaw Nation Confederated Tribes of the Colville Hoopa Valley Tribe, California

Reservation

Chippewa Cree Indians of the Confederated Tribes of the Hualapai Indian Tribe of the 

Rocky Boy's Reservation, Montana Goshute Reservation, Nevada and Hualapai Indian Reservation, 

Utah Arizona

Chitimacha Tribe of Louisiana Confederated Tribes of the Iowa Tribe of Kansas and 

Umatilla Indian Reservation Nebraska

Citizen Potawatomi Nation, Confederated Tribes of the Warm Kalispel Indian Community of the 

Oklahoma Springs Reservation of Oregon Kalispel Reservation

A Report to Congress | 19
20 | Implementation of the Ashlynne Mike AMBER Alert in Indian Country Act of 2018

Tribes 

Kaw Nation, Oklahoma Mohegan Tribe of Indians of Prairie Island Indian Community in 

Connecticut the State of Minnesota

Kickapoo Tribe in Kansas Narragansett Indian Tribe Pyramid Lake Paiute Tribe of 

the Pyramid Lake Reservation, 

Nevada

Kickapoo Tribe of Oklahoma Nez Perce Tribe Quileute Tribe of the Quileute 

Reservation

Lac Courte Oreilles Band of Lake Nooksack Indian Tribe Red Cliff Band of Lake Superior 

Superior Chippewa Indians of Chippewa Indians of Wisconsin

Wisconsin

Las Vegas Tribe of Paiute Indians Northern Cheyenne Tribe of Red Lake Band of Chippewa 

of the Las Vegas Indian Colony, the Northern Cheyenne Indian Indians, Minnesota

Nevada Reservation, Montana

Little River Band of Ottawa Nottawaseppi Huron Band of the Round Valley Indian Tribes, Round 

Indians, Michigan Potawatomi, Michigan Valley Reservation, California

Los Coyotes Band of Cahuilla and Oglala Sioux Tribe Sac and Fox Tribe of the 

Cupeno Indians, California Mississippi in Iowa

Lower Brule Sioux Tribe of the Oneida Nation of Wisconsin Sac and Fox Nation of Missouri in 

Lower Brule Reservation, South Kansas and Nebraska

Dakota

Lower Elwha Tribal Community Osage Nation Saginaw Chippewa Indian Tribe 

of Michigan

Lower Sioux Indian Community in Pascua Yaqui Tribe of Arizona San Carlos Apache Tribe of the 

the State of Minnesota San Carlos Reservation, Arizona

Lummi Tribe of the Lummi Passamaquoddy Tribe Indian Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of 

Reservation Township Chippewa Indians, Michigan

Makah Indian Tribe of the Makah Pauma Band of Luiseno Mission Sisseton-Wahpeton Oyate of the 

Indian Reservation Indians of the Pauma and Yuima Lake Traverse Reservation, South 

Reservation, California Dakota

Manzanita Band of Diegueno Pawnee Nation of Oklahoma Skokomish Indian Tribe

Mission Indians of the Manzanita 

Reservation, California

Mashantucket Pequot Indian Tribe Poarch Band of Creek Indians Southern Ute Indian Tribe

Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe Pokagon Band of Potawatomi Squaxin Island Tribe of the 

Indians, Michigan and Indiana Squaxin Island Reservation

Miami Tribe of Oklahoma Ponca Tribe of Indians of St. Croix Chippewa Indians of 

Oklahoma Wisconsin

Miccosukee Tribe of Indians Port Gamble S’Klallam Tribe Stillaguamish Tribe of Indians of 

Washington

Mississippi Band of Choctaw Prairie Band of Potawatomi Nation Stockbridge Munsee Community, 

Indians Wisconsin
A Report to Congress | 21

Tribes 

Suquamish Indian Tribe of the Port Upper Skagit Indian Tribe Yerington Paiute Tribe of the 

Madison Reservation Yerington Colony and Campbell 

Ranch, Nevada

The Seminole Nation of Oklahoma Ute Mountain Ute Tribe Yocha Dehe Wintun Nation, 

California

Tohono O’odham Nation of White Mountain Apache Tribe Yomba Shoshone Tribe of the 

Arizona of the Fort Apache Reservation, Yomba Reservation, Nevada

Arizona

Tulalip Tribes of Washington Yankton Sioux Tribe of South Ysleta del Sur Pueblo

Dakota

United Keetoowah Band of Yavapai-Apache Nation of the 

Cherokee Indians in Oklahoma Camp Verde Indian Reservation, 

Arizona

Upper Sioux Community, Yavapai-Prescott Indian Tribe

Minnesota

A Report to Congress | 23

Appendix C. National 

Survey and Report Team

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The OJJDP-funded AMBER Alert Training and Technical 

Assistance Program (AATTAP) collaborated with 

Arizona State University’s Office of Sex Trafficking 

Research on the Implementation of the Ashlynne 

Mike AMBER Alert in Indian Country Act of 2018

report. This joint project between OJJDP, AATTAP, 

and Arizona State University was supported by a 

team of national subject-matter experts on the topics 

of tribal law enforcement, emergency management, 

jurisdictional issues, and the AMBER Alert program. 

Team members who participated in the development 

of this report are as follows:

Dominique Roe-Sepowitz, MSW, Ph.D.,

National Assessment Team Leader 

Dr. Dominique Roe-Sepowitz is an associate professor 

in the School of Social Work at Arizona State 

University and the Director of the University’s Office 

of Sex Trafficking Intervention Research. Dr. RoeSepowitz has 14 years of experience conducting 

research with complex populations. She received her 

master’s and doctoral degrees in social work and 

is a researcher, professor, and forensic social work 

practitioner.

Jim Walters, 

Project Director 

Mr. Walters is the Program Administrator for the 

AMBER Alert Training and Technical Assistance 

Program, a U.S. Department of Justice initiative. 

Mr. Walters has more than 35 years of experience 

as a peace officer and military professional and 

more than 15 years of experience as a consultant to 

the AMBER Alert Training and Technical Assistance 

Program, where he has acted as the liaison for 

training and technical assistance to the AMBER Alert 

Initiative for Indian Country and the U.S. Southern 

Border Initiative. He was also part of the original 

AMBER Alert in Indian Country Pilot Project.

Melissa Blasing, MA, 

Project Coordinator 

Ms. Blasing is a Project Coordinator for the 

AMBER Alert Training and Technical Assistance 

Program and is responsible for the AMBER Alert in 

Indian Country Initiative. She has nearly 10 years 

of experience managing and facilitating the design 

and delivery of training and technical assistance for 
24 | Implementation of the Ashlynne Mike AMBER Alert in Indian Country Act of 2018

state, local, and tribal law enforcement; nonprofit 

organizations; and other criminal justice practitioners. 

Previously, Ms. Blasing managed the National AMBER 

Alert Symposium for State AMBER Alert Coordinators 

and Clearinghouse Managers, the National 

Symposium on Tribal Child Protection, the AMBER 

Alert webinar series, the AATTAP Family and Survivor 

Roundtables, and product development for AMBER 

Alert course offerings.

Project Team

• Kristen Bracey, MA, MSW, Associate Director of 

Research Implementation, Office of Sex Trafficking 

Intervention Research, Arizona State University.

• Hedi Bogda, Esq. (Minnesota Chippewa Tribe – 

Leech Lake Band), Associate, National Criminal 

Justice Training Center of Fox Valley Technical 

College.

• Laura Naranjo (Santa Clara Pueblo), Associate, 

National Criminal Justice Training Center of Fox 

Valley Technical College.

• Tyesha Wood (Navajo Nation), Associate, 

National Criminal Justice Training Center of Fox 

Valley Technical College.



NCJ 252671

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POSTAGE & FEES PAID

DOJ/OJJDP/GPO

PERMIT NO. G – 26

U.S. Department of Justice

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Laurel, MD 20707-4651

Official Business

Penalty for Private Use $300

*NCJ~252671*

MAILING LABEL AREA (5” x 2”) 

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