Amber alert

An Amber alert (alternatively styled AMBER alert) or a child abduction emergency alert (SAME code: CAE) is a message distributed by a child abduction alert system to ask the public for help in finding abducted children.^[1][2] The system originated in the United States of America.^[1]

The Amber alert was created in reference to Amber Rene Hagerman, who was abducted and later found murdered on January 15, 1996. Alternative regional alert names were once used; in Georgia, "Levi's Call"^[3] (in memory of Levi Frady); in Hawaii, "Maile Amber Alert"^[4] (in memory of Maile Gilbert); in Arkansas, "Morgan Nick Amber Alert"^[5] (in memory of Morgan Nick); in Utah, it is called "Rachael Alert" (in memory of Rachael Runyan), and "Monkey's Law" in Idaho (in memory of Michael Joseph Vaughan.)

In the United States, the alerts are distributed via commercial and public radio stations, Internet radio, satellite radio, television stations, text messages, and cable TV by the Emergency Alert System and NOAA Weather Radio^[6][7] (where they are termed "Amber Alerts"). The alerts are also issued via e-mail, electronic traffic-condition signs, commercial electronic billboards,^[8][9] or through wireless device SMS text messages.

AMBER Alert has also teamed up with Google^[10][11] and Facebook^[12] to relay information regarding an AMBER Alert to an ever-growing demographic: AMBER Alerts are automatically displayed if citizens search or use map features on Google, Yahoo, Bing, and other search engines. With Google public alert (also called Google AMBER Alert in some countries), citizens see an AMBER Alert if they search for related information in a particular location where a minor has recently been abducted and an alert was issued. This is a component of the AMBER Alert system that is already active in the US (there are also developments in Europe). Those interested in subscribing to receive AMBER Alerts in their area via SMS messages can visit Wireless Amber Alerts, which are offered by law as free messages.^[13] In some states, the display scrollboards in front of lottery terminals are also used.

The decision to declare an AMBER Alert is made by each police organization (in many cases, the state police or highway patrol) investigating the abduction. Public information in an AMBER Alert usually includes the name and description of the abductee, a description of the suspected abductor, and a description and license plate number of the abductor's vehicle if available.