NCJ Number
249959
Date Published
June 2016
Length
12 pages
Annotation
This issue of the newsletter includes feature articles on the 20th anniversary of the abduction and murder of Amber Hagerman, who is the inspiration for the AMBER Alert program; a review of the career of a former AMBER Alert Program Manager; and how a Nebraska police department made a successful rescue through AMBER Alert and teamwork.
Abstract
A profile of Fran Keith is presented on the occasion of her retirement as a long-time AMBER Alert program manager. For just over a decade, she used her expertise, attention to detail, and professionalism in building AMBER Alert's proficiency in finding new and better ways to protect children and recover those who were missing and abducted. In remembering Amber Hagerman of Arlington, Texas, who was abducted and subsequently assaulted and murdered in January 1996, the AMBER Alert system remembers why it was founded as America's Missing Broadcast Emergency Response, which is designed to quickly alert members of law enforcement and the public to searches for abducted and missing children. Since its founding almost two decades ago, AMBER Alert has helped bring more than 800 children home safely. This article reviews some of the milestones in AMBER Alerts efforts. This issue of the AMBER Advocate also notes the certification of two additional Child Abduction Response Teams (CARTs) - The Pasco County Sheriff's Office in Florida and the Pierce County Sheriff's Office in Washington State. Following initial certification, the CART must prepare to meet the criteria for annual re-certification every year thereafter. In another article, the use of the AMBER Alert network is described in a case that involved a small Nebraska police agency (Fairbury) using AMBER Alert to successfully rescue an abducted infant.