HONOLULU (KHON2) — More than a month after a Silver Alert program was established by the state, it’s still not up and running.
Yet vulnerable kupuna continue to go missing.
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The Silver Alert Program is meant to help find vulnerable kupuna 65 and older, who go missing.
Seven weeks after it was established, it still hasn’t issued an alert despite the disappearance of at least two elderly in the state.
KHON2 reached out to the Department of Law Enforcement (DLE) handling the program to find out why.
In a statement the DLE director Jordan Lowe said, “We are still trying to integrate our technology solutions to setup the program and to hire an administrator to oversee the project.”
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Senator Brandon Elefante, who authored the bill, said it may not happen until late September.
“They’re about a month away from launching this program,” Elefante explained. “They’re still waiting for release of $250,000 to basically fund this program. Currently, now it’s my understanding that they’re working through the issues of testing and seeing what they could do on their safer watch application and website.”
The Alzheimer’s Association is hoping they can expedite the process.
“I hope the months will come sooner, because we have heard of many cases, even since the bill has been signed in July, where kupuna did go missing.” Alzheimer’s Association Executive Director LJ Duenas said.
According to Honolulu police, 67-year-old Aliivaa “Jeff” Letuli was officially reported missing Tuesday, August 20. He was last seen August 9 around 1 p.m. walking along Farrington Highway in Maili.
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KHON2 spoke to Letuli’s brother. He declined an interview but said they are very concerned.
The Silver Alert, modeled after the Maile Amber Alert system, would immediately broadcast information, increasing the chances of locating the missing person quickly.
While many who disappear are found, some are not including 85-year-old Francisco Pangelinan. Pangelinan was last seen in Kapolei on May 15, ,2023. KHON spoke to his daughter Patricia Arde about the Silver Alert Program on the anniversary of his disappearance. She is hoping it will make a difference.
“In the future, people in similar situations may be able to find their missing loved ones very quickly and they won’t have to go through what we’ve gone through the past year,” Arde said.