Kim M. Lowry, Director Office of Communications
Office of Justice Programs
Announcement of the Outdoor Advertising AMBER Alert Initiative
New York, NY
June 3, 2008
Thank you, Nancy.
I’m pleased to be here on behalf of Jeff Sedgwick, the Acting Assistant Attorney General of the Office of Justice Programs and the National AMBER Alert Coordinator.
It’s such a thrill to see partnerships like this one bear fruit. AMBER Alert has been the reason for many exciting partnerships. Groups that had never worked together before have formed strong alliances and done some incredibly innovative things. The partnership between the Department of Justice, the Outdoor Advertising Association of America, and the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children is a continuation of that very positive trend.
Today’s announcement is a reflection of the dynamic progress we are making in enhancing our response to abducted children. We’ve accomplished a great deal in the 12-year history of AMBER Alert, much of it since the appointment of the first National AMBER Alert Coordinator in 2002. Since that time:
- We’ve developed national criteria for issuing AMBER Alerts;
- We’ve seen statewide AMBER Alert programs created in all 50 states;
- We’ve developed an initiative that enables us to send text message alerts to millions of wireless subscribers;
- We’ve extended AMBER’s reach into Canada, Mexico, and Indian country;
- We’ve created a powerful secondary distribution network, of which the Outdoor Advertising initiative is now a vital part;
- And the most important achievement of all – we’ve rescued and returned to safety almost 400 abducted children.
AMBER Alert has become part of America’s public safety landscape. The initiative we are highlighting today will extend AMBER’s reach and help to maximize its utility. I want to thank Nancy and her organization for their enormous contribution to child and public safety. I also want to commend John Kelly, Ernie Allen, and the dedicated staff of NCMEC [the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children] for their leadership and hard work. Thanks also to Paul Meyer and the folks at Clear Channel Outdoor for their support and participation.
We look forward to seeing this exciting new resource employed as a regular part of the AMBER Alert network.
Thank you.
