AMBER Alert Program Up and Running in Florida, Despite Shutdown

Actress and comedian Sherri Shepherd, commenting Monday morning on ABC-TV's "The View," told viewers across America that "a real crime of the government shutdown" is that it had shut down the AMBER Alert program.

Not so in Florida, says the Florida Department of Law Enforcement.

The Florida AMBER Alert program is not affected by the federal government shutdown, said FDLE spokesperson Gretl Plessinger. The state program is operating as it always has and continues to receive support from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children.

FDLE received several calls asking about the Florida program following reports of the shutdown of the AMBER Alert website, amberalert.gov, Plessinger said in a press release. "This federal website is informational only and does not impact the operations of Floridas AMBER Alert program or Floridas Missing Endangered Persons Information Clearinghouse," she said.