Amber Alerts Have Proven Effective Before

And that’s why Amber Alerts are only used very sparingly by law enforcement. But when a child’s life is in danger, getting the word out as quickly as possible is not only a necessity – it can be a matter of life and death.

The system was created a decade ago in the United States following the brutal kidnapping and murder of nine-year-old Amber Hagerman.

The girl’s death prompted the residents and authorities in her home of Arlington, Texas to come up with a way to prevent similar crimes against children from occurring and they created America’s Missing Broadcast Emergency Response program.

The system has been in place in Ontario for several years. But they have a very specific criteria to follow and because so many outlets –  from TV and radio stations to websites, highway signs and lottery terminals – have to be notified, cops must be sure before they give the O.K. to issue one.

“An Amber Alert’s issued for an abducted child who’s under the age of 18 years,” explains Sgt. Bill Lee, who coordinates the program for the O.P.P. “A law enforcement agency has to believe the child is in danger of serious bodily harm or death, and there’s enough information about the child, the suspect or vehicle that information from a broadcast would help in locating the child.”

It takes about 30 minutes from the time the decision is made until the information goes public. But many are surprised that they don’t last longer than just a few hours.

“Mainly because I guess the information becomes stale, dated unless we get further information broadcast,” Lee concedes.

Amber Alerts almost always contain vital statistics about a child and her suspected abductor. Here are some vital stats about the program itself.

What Is An Amber Alert?

It’s a warning system that involves authorities, the Ontario Association of Broadcasters, Ontario Lottery and Gaming and the Ontario Ministry of Transportation. The program is used to alert the public of child abductions where police believe the child is in danger.

When a law enforcement agency activates the clarion call, the names, descriptions of the child, their alleged abductor, and the suspect’s vehicle are broadcast on radio and television, and are posted on screens at gas stations and on electronic billboards on highways, as well as lottery terminals.

The Amber Alert is not intended for use in parental abductions, but will be issued if authorities believe the child’s life is in danger.

How Effective Is It?

In child abductions, the early stage of the investigation is critical and information obtained through the Amber Alert can help authorities find kids quickly.

The warning also acts as a deterrent to potential kidnappers, sending a message that crimes against children are intolerable.

What Are The Criteria?

• Law enforcement agency confirms a child under 18 years of age has been abducted
• Law enforcement agency believes the circumstances surrounding the abduction indicate that the child is in danger of serious bodily harm or death
• There is enough descriptive information about the child, abductor, and/or suspect’s vehicle to believe an immediate broadcast alert will help in locating the child.

Signs A Parent May Be Planning To Abduct A Child

Sometimes, you get no warning. But there are often telltale indicators that a father or mother is planning to kidnap and disappear with their youngster.

If you suspect there’s a possibility it could happen in your family or that of a friend, here are the signs to watch for:

• Resigning from a job
• Selling of property
• Liquidating of assets
• Closing of bank accounts
• Applying for a passport
• Behavioural changes
• Impulsiveness
• Physical violence
• Cruelty
• Inflexibility
• Instability
• Rejection of a court’s authority and of the social system in general
• Tendency to be dominated or influenced by the family, sudden return to the practice of religion and to traditional customs.

Source: Missing Children’s Network Canada.

Getting a few important stats on those involved will help authorities track them better. Here’s a look of what you might want to make a list of.

The Child

• Their full name, including the middle moniker and how all of them are spelled.
• Birth date and the place of birth. Include the town and the province – and even the name of the hospital.
• Nationality of the youngster
• Vital stats, like weight, height, eye and hair colour, even blood type. Also note if there are special features, like scars or braces. Pictures are helpful here, the more recent the better.
• Distinct details of what the child was wearing when last seen.
• If your kid has a social insurance number, record it somewhere and put it in a safe place.

The Parent

A lot of this info is the same as the above but can also include:

• Information on the documents they may be carrying, like passports and when they were issued.
• The person’s occupation, which could provide clues to how they’re supporting themselves on the run.
• Names and addresses of relatives and friends they might go to for help.
• Previous marriages or relationships.
• Dental records if available.
• Hair strands off an old brush, which can be used to obtain DNA if needed.
• Type of car they’re known to be driving with license plate number.

Other things to note:

• The exact date and time the child was taken and where they were last seen.
• How they got away (cab, car, bus, etc.)
• Old habits and interests of the accused abductor that may lead cops to where he or she might hide.
• If you suspect the person is heading to a specific country, notify the consulates there as soon as possible.
• Get a legal order prohibiting the person from travelling with the child. This should be done quickly, and you’ll need to consult a lawyer.
• Freeze any joint bank accounts or credit cards.
• Call the child’s school in case the abductor calls to ‘explain’ the absence.
• Check with the airlines to see if they’ve booked passage on flights out of the country

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