AMBER
Alert Overview
The
AMBER Alert Plan is a collaborative
effort between law enforcement agencies
and local broadcasters within the State
of Washington. The goal of the plan
is the safe and swift return of children
who are abducted or become missing under
specific criteria, by providing accurate
information to the public and gaining
their assistance in locating the child.
A
National Study conducted by the Washington
State Attorney General’s Office
found that nearly seventy-five percent
of the nation’s children who were
abducted and murdered were dead within
three hours of the time of their abduction.
Given this small window of opportunity
for a safe recovery of an abducted child,
the police community must depend on
the assistance of concerned citizens
to help with the safe recovery of our
children.
The
purpose of the AMBER Alert Plan is to
utilize the local and statewide radio,
television media and the Washington
State Department of Transportation (DOT)
to assist police departments in the
recovery of an abducted child. The local
law enforcement agency initiating an
Amber Alert will notify the Washington
State Patrol who, in turn, will use
the EAS (Emergency Alert System) to
notify the media and DOT of the Amber
Alert activation. Radio and television
media will broadcast the description
of the missing child, details of the
abduction, abductor information, vehicle
information, possible direction of travel
and any other information deemed helpful
by the investigating agency. DOT will
place similar, though abbreviated, information
on freeway traffic signs. The broadcast
will advise the public to call 911 with
any possible information regarding the
Alert.
Law
enforcement agencies within Washington
State that do not have an authorized
local AMBER Alert Plan by January 1,
2005, will be incorporated into the
State Plan headed by the Washington
State Patrol. When requested by a local
Law Enforcement agency within the State
Plan to activate an Amber Alert, the
Washington State Patrol will have sole
authority to approve and activate the
Alert or decline the request and not
activate the Alert. When a Local Law
Enforcement agency is a member of an
authorized local Amber Alert Plan, the
Washington State Patrol will automatically
begin activation of the requested Amber
Alert.
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