Is AMBER Alert system in Louisiana in need of overhaul?

Baton Rouge Representative Dixon McMakin is calling for an overhaul of Louisiana’s AMBER Alert system after a delay in request for two missing Loranger girls. McMakin sent a letter to the governor saying the current system is tedious and overcomplicated.

“And if there’s any way possible to make this [AMBER Alert] process more efficient, more effective going forward, we want to do that in Louisiana,” McMakin said.

Louisiana State Police records show it took three hours to issue an alert after 4-year-old Erin and 6-year-old Jalie Brunett were reported missing last week. McMakin said part of the rework would make sure alert requests always go through to a real person.

“This is the direct contact of the person who’s handling this case. Call them directly,” he explained as one of the things he would like to be implemented into the AMBER Alert system.

“Looking back on this situation [with the Brunett children], I think that [type of communication] could have saved some minutes, you know, maybe even an hour or two,” McMakin said.

In the letter, McMakin asked state police to work with legislators to improve the system and work internally to self-identify any part of the alert system that could use overhauling.

“In the past, maybe they found something that they thought could have been improved [about the system],” he said. “So bring all those stakeholders together and let’s make sure, going forward, that we have the best process in place.”

Jalie was found alive in Mississippi hours after the alert was issued, but Erin was found murdered.

A Louisiana grand jury has indicted the suspect, Daniel Callihan, on charges of first degree murder and kidnapping in the case, and also indicted Victoria Cox as an accomplice. The pair face charges in Mississippi and from the federal government.