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- Printable Version
Purpose The Amber Alert system works by seeking the assistance of the public when a child has been abducted and it is feared that the child will be seriously harmed. The public is provided by local media stations with a description of the child, the suspected abducter and any vehicle information available. A special phone number, 1-866-5AMBER5 , is dedicated throughout Oregon to be used for Amber Alerts. History In January of 1996 in Arlington, Texas, nine year old Amber Hagerman was riding her bicycle when a neighbor heard the the girl scream. The neighbor saw a man pull Amber into his pickup truck and drive away. The neighbor called the police and provided a description of the vehicle. Local police and the FBI searched for the suspect and interviewed other neighbors. Four days later, Amber's body was gound four miles away. Her kidnapping and murder remain unsolved. A concerned citizen contacted a Dallas radio station and suggested that Dallas radio stations should repeat news bulletins about abducted children just as they do with severe weather warnings. The idea was presented to the managers of the radio stations in the Dallas/Fort Worth area and they agreed that such a program would provide an important public service and might save the life of a child. Since that time the program has been expanded from Texas to many states across the nation. The program has successfully located 20% of the children who have been the subject of alerts. Overview The Amber Alert system is initiated by the local law enforcement agency when they find that a child has been abducted and they have reason to believe that serious harm could result. Through a partnership between law enforcement agencies, broadcast media, and the Oregon Department of Transportation, descriptions of the child, the suspect and any vehicle information are broadcast on radio and television stations as well as displayed on the statewide highway reader board system. The law enforcement agency activates the Emergency Alert System (EAS) to simultaneously broadcast the information to media partners. How Can You Help? The public is essential to the success of the Amber Alert system. The system relies on the public helping to locate abducted children before it is too late. -
If you hear an Amber Alert, be on the lookout for the child and suspect described in the Amber Alert message. -
Call 1-866-5AMBER5 if you have a sighting. -
If you witness a child being abducted call 9-1-1 immediately. -
Remain on the phone and provide as much information as possible to the dispatcher. -
Any and all descriptive information you can provide such as license plates on the vehicle and vehicle make and color will help find the child more quickly. -
Do not delay calling to obtain additional information.
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