Amber Alert
A stock image of a police officer.(Photo: Getty Images/iStockphoto)
Wednesday marks 20 years since the Texasabduction andmurder of 9-year-old Amber Hagermaninspired the creation of the national Amber Alert system, a program that helpsto quickly find abducted children.
Children abducted by non-family members with homicidal intent are often killed within one hour to one day after being abducted, according to the Pennsylvania State Police. So time is crucial in finding missing or abducted children.
The state police helped develop the system in the commonwealth. Designated members are responsible for issuing the alerts, which come with specific criteria that the police developed with the media.
An abductee must be under 18 years old and believed to be in imminent danger of death or serious injury. Additional criteria include the availability of descriptive information, time since the child was last seen and the reliability of witnesses, according to the state police.
When the abduction satisfies the requirements, the state police sendsout a statewide alert to law enforcement and the statewide public alert system.
Tips
It"s very important for parents to talk to their children about situational awareness and staying safe, saidCarl Lindquist, county spokesman and father to two, with another child coming soon.
"It"s something that as parents in the hustle and bustle of everyday life seems easy to overlook," he said, but added that these conversations canmake a "crucial difference."
He said at around 8 or 10, children oftenplay outside without supervision in the yard, where an unknown adult could approach them.
"Teach children that unfamiliar adults should never need help from a child not to find a lost animal or for anything else," Lindquist said in a news release. "Children should consider such a request to be a warning sign that prompts them to seek out a parent or trusted adult."
When out and about, children are more safe in groups, according to a York County tips sheet, and neighborhoods can help plan these groups. And, online, adults should be sure to monitor children"ssocial media activity to be sure they aren"t providing location or other personal information.
Smart 911
York County unveiled its Smart911 systeman AT&T Mobility National AccountsLLCsubscription that costs $99,000 per year and ispaid for through fees levied by the state on telephones offers another level of assistance for locating missing or abducted children, Lindquist said.
The service allows York County residents to upload profile information to Smart911.com so that when an emergency call is dispatched first responders will have necessary information, including current photographs, at their fingertips.
"Having a child go missing can be terrifying you may not be able to think straight, remember critical information or even communicate effectively," said York County Commissioner Chris Reilly in a news release. "Smart911 can have a dramatic impact on these situations. We encourage families to be proactive about safety and sign up today."
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Source: http://www.ydr.com/story/news/local/2016/01/12/amber-alert-recover-abducted-children-turns-20/78699744/
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