Success Stories

The goal of the California Highway Patrol (is) to fulfil our duty as the statewide coordinator of the alert program to the people of California.  We work tirelessly to ensure the victims and missing persons are recovered safely and quickly, and are reunited with their loved ones.  Please enjoy some of the following examples of how we have successfully completed our mission to the public and our allied agencies of providing the highest level of safety, service and security.
 

AMBER Alert

On April 16th, 2020, the Rupert Police Department in Idaho received a call from a mother that her 14-year old cognitively-impaired daughter had been enticed by two suspects through text messages and social media to leave Idaho and go to California.  The suspects were associated with previous assaults and human trafficking.  An AMBER Alert was issued in Idaho and in California.  The CHP undertook a massive database search and as a result a cell phone ping was able to locate the suspect’s vehicle at a rest stop in Truckee, California.  CHP personnel responded and at first were only able to locate the suspect vehicle and one suspect inside.  The officers on scene took it upon themselves to search further as something didn’t quite feel right.  After locating fresh footprints in the snow leading to a heavily forested area, the officers were able to locate and safely recovered the victim and arrested the suspects.  
 

AMBER Alert

On September 17, 2021, an AMBER Alert was requested by the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department for two brothers ages nine and five, who were taken from their mother. The suspect had already shown a propensity toward violence, which put the boys at great risk. The CHP worked closely with allied agencies to locate the suspect and victims over 375 miles from where the abduction took place. Through precise coordination of information and resources the victims were safely recovered and reunited with their mother. 
 

​EMA Alert

On April 2nd, 2022, the Marina Police Department (MPD) requested the CHP for assistance with a missing 6-year-old girl who had limited verbal capabilities due to autism.  Multiple agencies provided personnel and an unmanned aerial drone.  The CHP provided personnel from adjacent areas and air support.  The CHP activated a EMA, which included a wireless emergency alert, and both the MPD and CHP posted the alert on social media.  This activated the community who wanted to do all they could to help with the recovery of the child. Concerned citizens organized search parties and went outside with flashlights to do what they could.  It was the actions of the community that directly led to the safe recovery of the missing child when a member of one of the search parties located the missing girl in a rural area east of the Marina airport.
 

​Silver Alert

On June 28, 2022, the San Bernardino Police Department contacted the CHP seeking the activation of a Silver Alert for a 78-year-old female that had walked away from a care facility. The missing person’s health conditions and the high temperature put her at extreme risk. A Silver Alert was activated, and a Wireless Emergency Alert (WEA) was utilized to notify the community. The same day, a citizen in a neighboring city recognized the missing person from the WEA she had received on her cell phone. The citizen alerted local authorities and the missing person was safely returned to her care facility.