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MO Trooper Named Child Advocate of the Year by National Organization

By Zachary Thomas
A national coalition of community watch leaders has named Missouri AMBER alert coordinator Jason Crites as Child Advocate of the Year. Zach Sanders, a spokesman for America's Watch, said the group’s unanimous decision was "the easiest choice in memory". "In a world that’s increasingly divided and dangerous, Captain Crites has helped unite citizens with law enforcement to make our nation safer for kids," said Sanders. Crites began his tenure as Missouri’s AMBER Alert coordinator in September 2022 and hit the ground running.  During his first week in the role, he began working with advocates to pioneer US.Watch, a web-based platform developed for law enforcement, by law enforcement, to coordinate the public search for abducted children during AMBER alerts. Since that time, the search and rescue platform has been utilized across the United States, empowering vigilant citizens to help find abducted kids in a safe and effective manner. After serving in the U.S. Marin
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Women Save Abducted Boy with Revolutionary Search & Rescue Platform

By Zachary Thomas
Two friends Yenni Lu & Reagan Dunn got an AMBER Alert on their phone for an abducted boy in Long Beach, California last week and became local heroes after helping save the little boy. The women jumped into action on the the US.Watch platform to drive around looking for the child after receiving the alert. Soon enough, they spotted the stolen car with the boy inside and called 911. The two pals shared with Ryan Seacrest they were just doing the right thing. Listen back to the incredible story below: More at US.Watch >>
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Hailey Owens' Legacy Lives On: AMBER Alert Overhaul Saves Abducted Boy

By Zachary Thomas
A decade has passed since the abduction and murder of Hailey Owens shook our nation to its core. Yet, the memory of the vibrant Missouri fourth-grader, whose life was cut short in a senseless act of violence, inspired profound changes to the AMBER Alert system which saved an abducted California boy last week. 4-year-old Justin Chan was found safe Tuesday night by two citizens using US.Watch, a web-based search and rescue platform developed by Missouri law enforcement officers in the aftermath of Hailey’s death to coordinate the public search for abducted children during AMBER Alerts. “I clicked the link on my AMBER Alert and we drove to my assigned watch zone before spotting the vehicle,” said Raegan Dunn, a 20-year-old Los Angeles resident who found Justin using the US.Watch platform. “It was just the right thing to do.” Raegan Dunn and her friend Yenny Lu pose for a photo after helping reunite Justin with his family (Courtesy of Michael Lozano of the  Long Beach Post) Members
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Abducted California Boy Found Safe After Citizens Boost Massive Search Effort

By Zachary Thomas
The 4-year-old boy whose abduction prompted last night’s AMBER Alert was found safe after law enforcement successfully coordinated a massive public search effort. A national coalition of community watch leaders praised California Highway Patrol Captain Andrew Gregg for his exceptional leadership during the alert. "As the commanding officer of the Los Angeles Communications Center, Captain Gregg was instrumental in uniting citizens with law enforcement to help bring Justin home safely," said Jordan Puhala, a leader of California Watch. Her group successfully rallied nearly 5,000 Californians to join the search last night by leveraging US.Watch , a web-based platform developed for law enforcement, by law enforcement, to coordinate the public search for abducted children during AMBER Alerts. Jordan Puhala was a top searcher during the AMBER Alert, clearing 7 areas assigned to her by law enforcement through the US.Watch platform's smart zone assignment algorithm Members of
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