WAVE 3 TV Louisville, KY | Mayor Launches 'Operation Return Home'
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By Maira Ansari
LOUISVILLE (WAVE) -- Amber Alerts aren't always issued when children or adults go missing. Now the city has launched a new program that will help police find missing children and adults: "Operation Return Home." Metro Police started developing this program after the murder of 4-year-old Ivan Cano. It's a new tool designed not to replace the Amber Alert system, but to further advance it. WAVE 3's Maira Ansari has more.
When Ivan Cano disappeared, there was plenty of news coverage and awareness about the missing boy. Neighbors went door to door and lined his neighborhood with fliers. Police and volunteers were actively looking for the missing child, but an Amber Alert was never issued.
"This case did not meet the criteria that is outlined by the Kentucky Department of Justice in Frankfort and the Kentucky State Police," said Louisville Mayor Jerry Abramson.
That's because there were no witnesses to describe a suspect. And it must be confirmed that an abduction has taken place.
But, since the day Ivan's body was found in a city garbage truck, the city has launched a new system called "Operation return home."
In cases like Ivan's, families and victims can get help if their cases don't meet the strict Amber Alert criteria.
LMPD Chief Robert White explained how Operation Return Home will work. "While we don't have probable cause to believe that an abduction has taken place or is not necessarily a child, but we really believe that there is some foul play or potential of some foul play, we can activate these resources."
Mayor Jerry Abramson "Operation Return Home will allow us to almost instantly get information into the hands of tens of thousands of residents that can help reunite families with loved ones who are missing," Abramson said.
An e-mail notification with the description of the missing adult or child will be sent to 14 different outlets -- including the media, Jefferson County Public Schools, hospitals, and local homeless shelters.
And an alert will also be sent to the city's emergency management phone notification system that generates calls to targeted zip codes.
Those calls will contain a recorded message describing the missing person and encourage people to call metro police. The calls will go to:
The hope is that you will have the opportunity to know a victim is missing, recognize them and help return them home.
"The key to preventing crime is using the 700,00 eyes and ears in our community," Chief White said.
Operation Return Home also works on adults who are in danger. And the program will be activated by LMPD's Crimes Against Children Unit.
This new tool can be up in running in less than 30 minutes, which is faster than the Amber Alert system.
Online Reporter: Maira Ansari
Online Producer: Michael Dever
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