What is a Amber Alert?Shreveport police on scene in the 400 block of Forest Avenue after finding a 12-year-old girl, who was reported missing February 5 in Shreveport. (Jim Hudelson/The Times)
What is an Amber Alert?
It is a statewide, cohesive effort between law enforcement and broadcasters, whose goal is to safely locate an abducted child within the critical two-to-three hour time period following an abduction. It is an investigative tool and not designed to be relied upon as the sole means of recovery.
Following an initial alert, an Amber Alert is broadcast every 20 minutes during the first three hours and every 30 minutes thereafter for the next two hours or until such time that an "end of alert" message is issued by Louisiana state police.
2007 Amber Alert Facts
(For U.S. states and territories)
Amber Alerts: 227
Children involved: 278
Children recovered: 223 (within 72 hours)
Children recovered dead: 6 (one was a victim of a registered sex offender)
Stranger abductions: 94
Family abductions: 106
Abductions involving registered sex offender: 6
State with most Amber Alerts: Texas (30)
States with least Amber Alerts: 15 states and territories, including Alaska and Puerto Rico, had none; Louisiana (1)
Source: U.S. Department of Justice 2007 Amber Alert report
Parent tips
If your child is lost or missing, report it immediately to police. It's vital police enter the child's information into the National Crime Information Center database, which is utilized by law enforcement across the country.
Be certain to inform police of nicknames a child might answer to, about friends, family or other people who are part of the child's life, and the child's habits.
Keep a current photograph of your child on hand. Be sure to record their height and weight, and keep a copy of their fingerprints. Update the information regularly.
Source: Local law enforcement
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Question and answer with Louisiana state police Amber Alert coordinator Sgt. Julie Lewis
Question: Are all missing child alerts "” statewide, regional or local "” done through the state police? Are there any circumstances an alert might be issued without state police authorization?
Answer: All Amber Alerts must be facilitated by Louisiana state police "” Troop F and are conducted statewide, as set forth by the Louisiana Amber Alert Foundation Board of Directors. Level II's (advisories), since they do not utilize the Emergency Alert System, etc., are referred to as "media advisories" for "endangered missing child" (but can be used for any missing, endangered person). The Level II's are intended for situations that don't meet the criteria for an Amber Alert. While most law enforcement agencies in the state can have "missing person" information aired via their local media fairly easily, the Level II assists agencies who may not have the contacts with local/area media that LSP does, or the law enforcement agency may request that the information be sent to another media market within the state. Unfortunately, too many law enforcement agencies, as well as a well-meaning public, occasionally send something out and use the "AMBER Alert" name for cases which clearly do not meet criteria. This only serves to confuse the public as to what Amber is and is not, as well as desensitizes the public to an actual Amber Alert. Technically, any law enforcement agency can forward such information to the media, just as LSP does, but should refrain from any reference to "AMBER Alert."
Some cities may have their own localized program to seek to public's assistance in the location of missing/runaway children, but use another name for it. These do not interfere with Amber Alerts, nor do they utilize the same means and technologies, such as Department of Transportation and Development message boards.
Q: Do the 10 in-state and two out-of-state alerts listed on the agency's Web site as total Amber Alerts issued since Jan. 2 include regional and local alerts or just statewide? Have there been any more since Jan. 5?
A: All alerts were activated statewide. There have been no activations in Louisiana year-to-date in 2009.
Q: Of those 12 alerts, how many involved stranger abductions? How many involved family or a friend or acquaintance?
A: For the two in Florida, I don't recall the "relationship," if any. We activated at Florida's request based on specific investigative information they may be in/near Louisiana. One in 2008 (Shreveport) was on a father who had already severely beaten his young son and ran into the woods with his two young daughters.
He was believed to be a serious danger to them as well. This was the last Amber Alert in Louisiana.
There was one in 2007, for a teen girl who was abducted by an estranged boyfriend, and one in 2006, involving a biological, noncustodial mother took her two sons from school. Based upon law enforcement information, she was believed to be a serious danger to the boys. They were safely recovered in Dallas. There were two in 2005:
On Feb. 12, 2005, Louisiana state police "” Troop F "” activated the Louisiana Amber Alert system for two Baton Rouge infants who were in a car when it was stolen from a Baton Rouge neighborhood around 2:30 a.m. Within a couple hours following the initial alert, a Baton Rouge man located the vehicle behind his business on Choctaw Drive. The man looked around the perimeter of his business and due to the Amber Alert, he was made aware of the stolen vehicle and the missing children from a location within a couple miles of his address. He located the vehicle, with the two boys still inside, behind his building and quickly notified police. Through the cooperation of Louisiana broadcasters, law enforcement and an observant local businessman, two small children were safely recovered and placed with family members. The mother of the two children, 30 year-old Kawanda Chambers, was charged with child desertion, as she left the two infants unsupervised in a running car outside of an acquaintance's home for approximately thirty minutes. Baton Rouge Police Department detectives continue to investigate the theft of the vehicle.
On June 8, 2005, an Amber Alert for a Webster Parish boy was canceled due a false report. Around 5:30 p.m, Webster Parish sheriff's office requested Louisiana state police "” Troop F authorize the activation of the Louisiana Amber Alert following a report that a 14-year-old boy of Doyline was allegedly abducted at gunpoint by two masked, white men an hour earlier. Less than 30 minutes after Troop F received the detailed information, the statewide Emergency Alert System (EAS) was activated for the boy. Deputies and other officers continued to investigate while all law enforcement agencies statewide were notified, DOTD's variable message boards were activated, LA Lottery's boards broadcast the message, and media statewide were seeking more information to get the message to the public "” all in hopes of safely recovering the teen. Less than three hours later, Webster Parish sheriff's office advised of the safe recovery of the boy and the Amber Alert was immediately canceled. While the case remains under investigation by the Webster Parish sheriff's office, the teen was more likely a runaway. LSP"”Troop F was advised the case will be forwarded to the district attorney's office in Webster Parish for consideration of charges pending the false report of an Amber Alert by the child in question. (He was charged with criminal mischief. This case took place prior to the enactment of "False Reporting "” kidnapped/abducted child" became a felony in Louisiana.)
Another case: Hammond P.D. called to cancel the Amber Alert the child had been found with another relative. A 4-year-old child was sent home from an area day care center with an individual in a dark-colored sedan. Parent arrived to pick up child and day care workers were unable to identify who the child left with. An Amber Alert was issued and canceled within an hour. Due to a miscommunication, another relative picked up the child, but became aware of the problem after seeing the Amber Alert info on television.
All other Louisiana Amber alerts were familial/friend/acquaintance. While Amber is not intended for parental abductions, there are cases where law enforcement has strong reason to believe the parent may intentional harm/kill the children) and an Amber is activated.
Q: Are there any statistics for the number of times a Level II alert was issued?
A: No, since any law enforcement agency can forward such information to the media, but should refrain from any reference to "AMBER Alert" to avoid confusion. LSP has issued less than six each year, but there is no "limit." Many law enforcement agencies decline this form of assistance as media may be involved already.
Q: What would be some of the reasons Louisiana has fewer alerts than other states, such as Texas?
A: Texas has to contend with a variety of issues, which Louisiana does not. No. 1: They are much larger in size and population. Twenty-three million residents in Texas v. 4.3 million in Louisiana. No. 2: they have border issues with Mexico, which Louisiana does not. Other states may have localized/regional plans, which may lend itself to inconsistency regarding the decision as to whether or not an Amber Alert should be activated. In those situations, you may have activated authorities who are also elected officials. Let's be honest, a person who relies upon votes to keep his/her position may allow (consciously or subconsciously) that political pressure to affect a decision. In Louisiana, LSP makes the final call as to whether or not an Amber Alert is issued, and "politics" do not enter the equation as to whether or not an Amber Alert is issued. The decision is made strictly upon the facts of the case, which are presented by the requesting law enforcement agency. Neither gender nor race enter the equation either. In fact, in most cases, the gender/race of child isn't known (by me) until I'm seeking the specific information in order to activate Amber. Some states' plans may have varying criteria, which qualifies as an Amber. Those with more "open" criteria, will, in turn, have more occasions to activate. In Louisiana, we strictly adhere to the criteria (based upon recommendations by the U.S. Department of Justice) and also conduct informal reviews of specific activations or non-activations. Those involved in this review include: law enforcement officers in other agencies, the Louisiana Association of Broadcasters, Louisiana Clearinghouse for Missing & Exploited Children, FCC, etc.
On the Web
U.S. Department of Justice Amber Alert