How can I find 

out more about 

AMBER Alert in 

my community? 

For more information about 

the national AMBER Alert 

plan and to find the name 

of your state AMBER Alert 

coordinator, visit the Department of Justice Web site at 

www.AMBERALERT.gov. 

Note that each state or 

regional program has its 

own mechanism for relaying AMBER Alerts to the 

public. Check with your 

coordinator to find out 

more about AMBER Alert 

in your community. 

What can I do in 

my community to 

further protect 

our children? 

✦ Work with your local law enforcement agency to host a 

safety seminar at your 

school, church, community 

AMBER Alert 

Saves Lives! 

Calhoun, Georgia (January 8, 2003) — 

A man allegedly murdered three 

former in-laws and his own 10-

month-old daughter, then abducted 

his two daughters, ages 3 and 4, 

and his stepdaughter, age 10. 

He contacted his ex-wife, told her 

about the killings, and threatened 

the lives of the girls. An AMBER 

Alert was issued immediately. A 

motorist recognized the vehicle 

from the Alert and contacted police. 

Authorities arrived quickly at the 

scene, apprehended the suspect, 

and safely recovered the three 

children. 

Grants Pass, Oregon (December 1, 

2003)—A man loaded his two-yearold daughter into his vehicle, then 

went back into the house. When he 

came back, both the vehicle and his 

daughter were gone. The man contacted authorities and an AMBER 

Alert was issued. An hour later, a 

woman spotted the truck and used 

her mobile phone to dial 911. Police 

responded immediately to the call 

and the child was safely recovered. 

center, civic organization, or neighborhood group. 

✦ Know who lives in your community. Each state tracks sex 

offenders. Find out how to know who they are and where 

they live. 

✦ Pay more attention to missing children flyers and notices in 

stores and mail-outs. 

✦ Keep current information and photos of your own children. 

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES 

For more information about the AMBER Alert program,


including training, technical assistance, and laws,


visit the U.S. Department of Justice Web site at:


www.AMBERALERT.gov


To report an emergency situation or to


provide information about a missing or exploited child,


call 911 to notify your local police, or call


800–THE–LOST (800–843–5678) 


To report information about child pornography,


child molestation, child prostitution, and the 


online enticement of children,


log on to the CyberTipline at:


www.cybertipline.com 


For more information on missing and 


exploited children, visit the National Center for 


Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC) at:


www.missingkids.com


April 2005 BC000712 
What is AMBER Alert? Why was AMBER Alert created? 

AMBER Alert is a voluntary partnership involving law AMBER Alert was created in 1996 as a 

enforcement agencies, broadcasters, and transportation powerful legacy to nine-year-old Amber 

agencies. During an AMBER Alert, an urgent news bul- Hagerman, a bright little girl who was 

letin is broadcast over the airwaves as well as on high- kidnapped while riding her bicycle in 

way alert signs to enlist the aid of the public in finding Arlington, Texas. Her brutal murder 

an abducted child and stopping the perpetrator. shocked and outraged the entire community. Residents called radio stations AMBER Alert is based on the same concept used to in the Dallas area and suggested they alert the public to a severe weather emergency. During 

an AMBER Alert, the Emergency Alert System (EAS), 

formerly called the Emergency Broadcast System, airs 

a description of an abducted child and suspected abductor. The purpose is to instantly galvanize the entire 

community in the search for and safe return of an abducted child. 

broadcast special alerts over the airwaves so that they 

could help prevent such incidents in the future. 

In response to the community’s concern for the safety of 

local children, the Dallas/Fort Worth Association of Radio 

Managers teamed up with local law enforcement agencies 

in northern Texas and developed this innovative early warning system to help find abducted children. 

How does AMBER Alert work? 

After law enforcement officials have been notified about the abduction of a child, they must determine if the case meets AMBER Alert’s criteria for 

triggering an Alert. 

The U.S. Department of Justice recommends the following criteria for AMBER Alert programs nationwide: 

✦ Law enforcement officials must have reason to believe that an abduction of a child age 17 or younger has occurred. 

✦ Law enforcement officials must believe that the abducted child is in imminent danger of serious bodily injury or death. 

✦ Enough descriptive information must exist about both the victim and the abductor for an AMBER Alert to assist in the recovery of the child. 

✦ The child’s name and other critical data, including the child abduction (CA) flag, must be entered into the National Crime Information 

Center (NCIC) system. 

If these criteria are met, Alert information will be put together and faxed to area media outlets, where it will be broadcast to millions of 

listeners. Radio stations will interrupt their regular programming to announce the Alert, and television and cable stations will run a “crawl” 

on the screen with a picture of the child and a description of the suspected abductor and vehicle. 

Some states are also incorporating the use of electronic highway billboards into their AMBER Alerts. These billboards, typically used to warn drivers 

about upcoming traffic delays, can alert the public to the plight of an abducted child by displaying pertinent information about the victim, the abductor, 

and the suspected vehicle that drivers can look for while traveling the roadways. 

What is the goal of AMBER Alert? 

The goal of AMBER Alert If we could have gotten the word out 

is to recover abducted immediately when Morgan disapchildren before they peared, I’m certain she would be 

meet physical harm. home with me today. With the 

Statistics show that time AMBER Alert plan, time is now on 

itself is the enemy of an the side of every parent and child. 

abducted child, because —Colleen Nick (parent)

most children who are 

kidnapped and later found murdered die within the first 

three hours after being taken. 

AMBER Alert aims to turn that statistic around. Studies show 

that when ordinary citizens become the eyes and ears of 

law enforcement, precious lives can be saved. 

What should I do in case of an 

AMBER Alert? 

AMBER Alert encourages everyone to be on the lookout for 

the abducted child and suspect. In the event that you spot a 

child, adult, or vehicle fitting the AMBER Alert description, 

call 911 immediately and provide authorities with as much 

information as possible. 

Is the AMBER Alert used for all 

missing child cases? 

AMBER Alerts are issued by a law enforcement agency in cooperation with the media only if the circumstances surrounding a child’s disappearance meet local or state AMBER Alert 

criteria. If a case does not meet the criteria, many other investigative tools will be employed, such as tracking dogs, neighborhood canvasses, evidence collection, and a check of the state 

sex offender registry. An AMBER Alert 

is one of the tools in law enforcement’s 

broader child recovery strategy, and 

even though an AMBER Alert is not 

issued, the media may be called upon 

to help with particular cases.