Child abduction alert system

A child abduction alert system is an alert system designed to produce a coordinated response, by the emergency services and media, if a child is abducted.

Europe

At present, there are alert systems in Belgium, France, Germany, Greece and the United Kingdom.^[1][2] However, the European Union (EU) does not have a Union-wide alert system. Gerry and Kate McCann, whose daughter has disappeared, spoke to the European Parliament, on 10 April 2008, and pressed for the establishment of an EU system.^[2] The McCanns are setting up a child abduction information hotline, that will be available across Europe, that will use the number 116 000.^[3]

United Kingdom

The UK has developed the Child Rescue Alert, similar to the American AMBER Alert.^[4] The system works in a way, where in the local area of the suspected abduction, radio and television broadcasts are immediately interrupted (even in some cases during mid-speech) and listeners/viewers are provided details of anything to look out for. Some counties include Variable message signs which alerts drivers on major roads to be on the lookout for that missing person or a car on the road.

In England, the counties of Hampshire, Leicestershire, Surrey, Sussex, Gloucestershire, Cambridgeshire, Bedfordshire, Norfolk, Derbyshire, Suffolk, Thames Valley, Wiltshire, and Somerset, and the London Metropolitan Police Service, have adopted a similar program called the Child Rescue Alert system. Sussex was the first to launch the system, on November 14, 2002.^[5] It is based on and has alert requirements similar to the American system.^{[6][7][8][9][10][11][12][13][14]}

There are four key criteria in the UK's system to be met before a Child Rescue Alert is issued:

• The child is apparently under 18 years old.
• There is a reasonable belief that the child has been kidnapped or abducted.
• There is reasonable belief that the child is in imminent danger of serious harm or death, and
• There is sufficient information available to enable the public to assist police in locating the child.

Members of the public will be encouraged to keep their eyes and ears open for anything that may help the police in finding the abducted child. If they see anything they should call the police on 999.^[15]

On 20 June 2007, the first such alert for a long period was issued.

North America

Main article: AMBER Alert

The AMBER Alert system is a notification to the general public, by media outlets in Canada and in the United States, issued when police confirm that a child has been abducted. AMBER is a backronym for America's Missing: Broadcasting Emergency Response, and was named after a 9-year-old Amber Hagerman who was abducted and murdered in Arlington, Texas in 1996.

See also

• Missing Kids Website
• National Center for Missing and Exploited Children

References

1. ^ Paul Kirby (2008-04-09). "Could Europe alerts stop abductions?". BBC News. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/7339335.stm. Retrieved 2008-04-10. 
2. ^ ^{a b} "Parents of Madeleine McCann ask the European Union to set up alert system". Associated Press. International Herald Tribune. 2008-04-10. http://www.iht.com/articles/2008/04/10/europe/kidnap.php. Retrieved 2008-04-10. 
3. ^ "McCann abduction hotline idea". Teletext. http://www.teletext.co.uk/news/national/cbf73fe39212672dace22c6d7db4b4f8/McCann+abduction+hotline+idea.aspx. Retrieved 2008-04-10. 
4. ^ "International AMBER Alert Plans". National Center for Missing & Exploited Children. http://www.missingkids.com/missingkids/servlet/PageServlet?LanguageCountry=en_US&PageId=1422. Retrieved 2006-06-06. 
5. ^ "Child Rescue Alert". Sussex Police Online. Archived from the original on June 14, 2006. http://web.archive.org/web/20060614151806/http%3A//www.sussex.police.uk/campaigns/childrescuealert.asp. Retrieved 2006-06-06. 
6. ^ "Snatch alert swings into action". BBC News. 2003-07-08. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/southern_counties/3053540.stm. Retrieved 2006-06-06. 
7. ^ "Child Rescue Alert System Goes Live". Norfolk Constabulary. 2006-03-17. http://www.norfolk.police.uk/article.cfm?catID=548&artID=7475&bctrail=0. Retrieved 2006-06-06. 
8. ^ "Child Rescue Alert system launched". Derbyshire Constabulary. 2006-03-27. http://www.derbyshire.police.uk/news/893.html. Retrieved 2006-06-06. 
9. ^ "Police Launch Child Rescue Alert". Suffolk Constabulary. 2006-03-20. Archived from the original on September 29, 2006. http://web.archive.org/web/20060929094946/http%3A//www.suffolk.police.uk/News%2BAnd%2BAppeals/News/Police%2BLaunch%2BChild%2BRescue%2BAlert.htm. Retrieved 2006-06-06. 
10. ^ "Wiltshire Police launches Child Rescue Alert". Wiltshire Police. 2006-03-27. Archived from the original on March 7, 2007. http://web.archive.org/web/20070307202205/http%3A//www.wiltshire.police.uk/news/newsview.asp%3Fid%3D1059. Retrieved 2006-06-06. 
11. ^ "Police sign up to national alert to save abducted children (Forcewide)". Avon and Somerset Constabulary. 2006-03-27. http://www.avonandsomerset.police.uk/LocalPages/NewsDetails.aspx?nsid=4518&t=1&lid=5. Retrieved 2006-06-06. 
12. ^ "Child Rescue Alert Introduced To The County". Northamptonshire Police Online. 2006-03-24. http://www.northants.police.uk/default.asp?action=article&ID=11484. Retrieved 2006-06-06. 
13. ^ "Child kidnap alert scheme starts". BBC News. 2006-03-19. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/4822404.stm. Retrieved 2006-06-06. 
14. ^ "Child Rescue Alert". Thames Valley Police. Archived from the original on 2006-08-10. http://web.archive.org/web/20060810172623/http://www.thamesvalley.police.uk/reduction/victimsofcrime/child-alert/index.htm. Retrieved 2006-06-06. 
15. ^ "Child Rescue Alert". Derbyshire Constabulary. http://www.derbyshire.police.uk/safety/5.html. Retrieved 2011-01-14. 

External links

• US Law Enforcement Resource