AMBER Alerts: 550 kids saved in 16 years
Sixteen years ago, Amber Hagerman was abducted while riding her bicycle and brutally murdered in Arlington, Texas.
America’s Missing: Broadcast Emergency Response Alert network - AMBER - was created after her tragic death to provide emergency broadcast messages to the public when law enforcement determines a child has been abducted.
The AMBER Alert network has helped to find and safely recover over 550 children across the country. Jan. 13, 2012, was the sixth-ever National AMBER Alert Awareness Day.
In November 2002, the State of Oregon announced implementation of a statewide AMBER Alert Plan. This plan is a voluntary partnership between law enforcement agencies and local broadcasters to send an emergency alert to the public when a child has been abducted and it is believed the child’s life is in danger.
Since implementation of Oregon’s AMBER Alert Plan there have been 16 activations and the safe recovery of eighteen children.
Oregon's AMBER Alert Plan Criteria are:
1. Law enforcement confirms a child has been abducted (This alert system is not to be used when a child runs away or involves a custodial situation)
2. The child is 17 years or younger
3. The child may be in danger of serious bodily harm or death
4. There is enough descriptive information about the child, abductor, and/or suspect's vehicle to believe an immediate broadcast alert will help
5. The child's name and other critical data elements - including the child abduction (CA) and AMBER Alert (AA) flags will/have been entered into the National Crime Information Center (NCIC) system
When all the AMBER guidelines and criteria have been met, the AMBER Alert Plan is activated using the AMBER Web Portal. Oregon's AMBER Alert plan sends out alerts through the Emergency Alert System via radio and television, highway advisory signs, email and to wireless subscribers who opt to receive the text messages on their wireless devices. One year ago, Facebook users could also start signing up to receive AMBER Alert bulletins for their state sent through a Facebook "News Feed" feature.
While technology is one of the program’s greatest assets, it can also be a hindrance. In Oregon, and nationwide, the "AMBER Alert" name has been the subject of various hoax texts and emails. A well-intentioned public often forwards misguided, phony, unconfirmed or outdates texts, emails and/or messages via social networks which refer to AMBER Alerts. Many of these so-called AMBER Alerts that circulate by text message and e-mail involve cases that had already been resolved or were outright hoaxes.
State police encourage Oregonians to rely on official police alerts and media reports based on those alerts.
