Table Of ContentContents
Brief History of AMBER Alert ..................................................................1
Need for a Partnership ............................................................................2
Memoranda of Understanding (MOUs) ........................................2
After-Action Reports ........................................................................4
Consensus of Broadcast Media ..............................................................4
Verification of Information ..............................................................6
Content of Message ................................................................................6
The Message ....................................................................................6
Sensitivity to the Audience ............................................................7
Frequency of Message ............................................................................8
Other Considerations ..............................................................................9
April 2005
NCJ 208481
AMBER Alert
Best Practices Guide for Broadcasters
and Other Media Outlets
SS
eventy-four percent of chil
dren who are kidnapped The concept for AMBER Alert is simple
and later found murdered
and effective: Law enforcement and the
are killed within the first three
media working together to alert the
hours after being taken, according
to the U.S. Department of Justice.
public and effect the quick, safe
Time is critical if abducted children
recovery of abducted children.
are to be successfully recovered.
Early involvement of the media in
a child abduction case can make
the difference between unthinkable
a child is missing or abducted.
tragedy and joyous reunification.
Consequently, all forms of media
are important and needed.
During missing child incidents,
the media serve as the conduit be
tween law enforcement officials Brief History of
and the public in making sure
AMBER Alert
timely and accurate information
quickly reaches the intended public
The idea for an
audience. Broadcast media are
early warning
among the first responders—the
system was con
vehicle that transmits the early,
ceived in 1996
rapid AMBER (America’s Missing:
as a memorial
Broadcast Emergency Response)
to nine-year-old
Alerts giving citizens the basic in
Amber Hager
formation that will enable them to
man, who was kidnapped while
be involved in the search for an ab
riding her bicycle in Arlington,
ducted child.
Texas, and later brutally mur
dered. Dallas area broadcasters
The critical role played by broad
came up with the idea of using
cast journalists in an early re
Emergency Alert System (EAS)
sponse does not minimize the
equipment to rapidly relay child
need for other media during
abduction information. Broad
AMBER Alert incidents. Cable
casters approached local law en
companies, newspapers, and
forcement with the concept, and
specialty publications also play a
America’s first AMBER Alert pro
vital role in reaching all segments
gram was born. The idea was
of the public. AMBER Alerts solicit
simple: When police notified the
the public’s eyes and ears, and all
media that a child abduction
media, regardless of audience or
had taken place, viewers and
geographical reach, can help en
the listening public would be
list the public’s participation when
AMBER Alert Best Practices Guide for Broadcasters and Other Media Outlets 1
notified through broadcast AMBER Alert plans that will
announcements with as much work together for the good of
information as possible to en the children.
able the public to provide the
extra eyes and ears that would
Need for a
increase the likelihood that a child
abductor could be caught before Partnership
those first three critical hours had
elapsed. AMBER Alert’s success is tied
directly to the quality of the part
The early warning concept, nership established among law
now called AMBER Alert, quickly enforcement agencies, broadcast
spread to other communities and other media outlets, depart
and states. In 2002, President ments of transportation, state
George W. Bush directed the and federal officials, and various
U.S. Department of Justice to civic and political leaders. Each
help every state set up its own partner is important, and each
AMBER plan. This Best Practices has a unique role to play. Similar
Guide for Broadcasters and Other ly, each partnership has its unique
Media Outlets is designed to help characteristics based on the com
state, regional, and local pro munity in which it was created,
grams develop and improve their yet each forms an essential link
plans and to promote consistency in the larger fabric of the nation’s
among all programs. AMBER Alert program.
This guide is based on hours of At the most basic level, partners
research, correspondence, and need to understand their exact
discussion with state, regional, responsibilities in their communi-
and local AMBER Alert coordina ty’s AMBER Alert recovery plan.
tors and their media partners, Partners can avoid duplication of
who talked openly about their effort if they understand the exact
experiences and volunteered responsibilities of their colleagues
the content of their plans so that as well.
others could benefit. It presents
the combined wisdom of journal
Memoranda of
ists and coordinators working on
Understanding
the front line of the AMBER pro
(MOUs)
grams, who understand that no
two communities or AMBER Alert
The process of creating a local,
programs are identical, but the
state, or regional AMBER Alert
goals are nevertheless the same:
plan is complex, and no two plans
to create a national network of
will evolve in exactly the same
2 AMBER Alert Best Practices Guide for Broadcasters and Other Media Outlets
way. Even so, officials in one Information Center (NCIC) sys
community can find it helpful to tem and corresponding state
learn about the issues that other or local databases before an
communities have confronted AMBER Alert is requested.
and the solutions they found to
resolve them. Some elements ✦ Criteria for activation of an
are common to all plans, and a AMBER Alert, including the age
clear, precise, and thorough defi of the child and other critical
nition of each partner’s roles and information.
responsibilities is one such ele
✦ Confidential systems and codes
ment. To ensure a smoothly run
for use by law enforcement and
ning program, potential legal
broadcasters in activating an
issues or concerns should be ex
AMBER Alert.
plored and resolved in advance,
if at all possible. A memorandum
✦ A system for disseminating
of understanding, or MOU, can
Alerts, with regular tests to
form the basis for long-term
ensure the system’s integrity.
agreement on roles and responsi
bilities before a final AMBER Alert
✦ Appropriate wording to be used
plan is enacted. AMBER coordina
in disseminating an AMBER
tors and their partners agree that,
Alert to the public.
at a minimum, an MOU should
detail the following:
✦ Procedures for determining the
frequency of broadcast Alerts,
✦ Specific roles of all the part
how long the Alerts should con
ners, including law enforce
tinue, and when and how Alerts
ment agencies, broadcast and
should be deactivated.
other media outlets, depart
ments of transportation, various
✦ Procedures for determining
governmental organizations,
the kind of Alert to be used,
nonprofit agencies, and other
such as an EAS activation,
organizations with a child wel
a “crawl” at the bottom of a
fare focus.
television screen, or a news
announcement.
✦ A requirement that law en
forcement confirm that an
✦ The role of secondary media
abduction has taken place
outlets, such as newspapers
and that the risk of harm to
and other print media.
the child is significant.
✦ The role of other secondary
✦ Criteria for ensuring that
outlets, such as taxi companies,
key information has been en
public transportation systems,
tered into the National Crime
and cable or power companies.
AMBER Alert Best Practices Guide for Broadcasters and Other Media Outlets 3
✦ The use of road signs, if avail ✦ Does the plan need to be
able, and the wording to be changed in any way in the
used to tie the information wake of the Alert activation?
back to broadcast Alerts.
These are just some of the issues
✦ A mechanism for “all-clear” that should be discussed during
notifications. the After-Action review to ensure
that the AMBER Alert program is
operating as specified in the MOU
After-Action
and agreed on by partner agen
Reports
cies and organizations.
AMBER coordinators and their
partners identified a second key
Consensus of
element common to effective
Broadcast
plans: a formal process evaluation
following every Alert activation to Media
assess process issues, including
the quality of communication and Media representatives who assist
technology. The best plans require ed in the development of this
that a follow-up meeting of key guide say that broadcasters who
partners be scheduled after every agree to provide immediate re
Alert activation to discuss these sponse during AMBER Alerts need
questions: a reasonable expectation that
their partner agencies will fulfill
✦ How successful was the Alert
all of their responsibilities in ac
activation process? What
cordance with the activation plan.
worked well? What needs
Some of these responsibilities can
attention?
be detailed in MOU agreements.
✦ How effectively did the equip
Confidence in the AMBER Alert
ment function?
system will be ensured if every
one in the partnership agrees to
✦ Did any expected problems
the following:
arise during the Alert process,
and what was done to resolve ✦ Law enforcement will request
them?
an EAS activation to alert the
public only when all previously
✦ Did any expected gaps surface
established criteria have been
during the Alert—such as the
met.
need for additional training,
equipment, or other technology ✦ Law enforcement officials will
requirements—that need to be
provide complete, thorough
addressed?
information that is not legally
4 AMBER Alert Best Practices Guide for Broadcasters and Other Media Outlets
prohibited and does not ✦ Law enforcement and other au
jeopardize the integrity of thorities, such as 911 centers,
an investigation. will provide a method for han
dling the tips and inquiries
✦ Law enforcement officials will called in to the phone number
recognize broadcasters’ respon once an AMBER Alert has been
sibility to provide the public activated.
with accurate, thorough infor
mation and to question any and ✦ EAS activation will protect the
all speculative reports as part of integrity of the AMBER Alert
their professional duty. system by preventing false or
other misleading transmission
✦ Law enforcement officials will of information to the media
quickly terminate an AMBER that would result in the public
Alert when the threat is no becoming desensitized or even
longer imminent or apparent. misled. The system for protec
tion should include special
✦ Department of Transportation
codes and privileged activa
officials will provide timely in
tion transmissions among plan
formation on road signs and
partners.
will direct drivers to tune in to
other sources for more detailed ✦ Activation of an AMBER Alert
information. over the EAS will not prevent
news organizations, including
✦ News staff at other broadcast
stations airing AMBER Alerts,
stations, cable outlets, and
from using Alert information for
newspapers will be able to
legitimate news purposes.
obtain the same immediate
information for dissemination ✦ Information gleaned by legiti
purposes. mate news operations but not
provided in the AMBER Alert
✦ The system for immediate,
announcement will be dissemi
simultaneous dissemination
nated to the public in normal
(be it EAS, the National Oceanic
news reports. Nothing will
and Atmospheric Administra
be added to the official EAS
tion, phone, fax, e-mail, or
AMBER Alert message.
some combination of these)
will be detailed in the MOU. ✦ Law enforcement will esta
blish procedures for making
✦ The AMBER Alert message will
information available to the fol
include a phone number for the
lowing entities before issuing
public to call.
an Alert: media outlets; other
AMBER Alert Best Practices Guide for Broadcasters and Other Media Outlets 5
law enforcement agencies such Content of
as the FBI (NCIC), National Cen
Message
ter for Missing & Exploited Chil
dren (NCMEC), and state
By their very nature, AMBER Alert
clearinghouses; and secondary
messages must be concise and to
distributors.
the point. They also must be imme
diately understood, easily assimi
✦ Law enforcement agencies and
lated, and quickly disseminated.
broadcasters will agree to make
equipment and personnel avail
Some communities, regions, and
able for periodic tests of the
target audiences are better ap
system used for broadcasting
proached at a particular time of
the Alert.
day or in a particular manner in
order to maximize the effective
Verification of ness of the message. Who better
Information than local broadcast media under
stand the particular needs of their
The media understands that target audience?
AMBER Alert situations are fluid
and will change minute by minute.
The Message
Therefore, the media has a right
to expect law enforcement officials
Broadcasters understand that the
to be accessible and provide a
content of the AMBER Alert mes
method for reporters to verify in
sage will have a direct impact on
formation gathered during normal
the effectiveness of the Alert. Ex
newsroom operations. Law en
cept under extraordinary circum
forcement will find it counter
stances, an AMBER Alert message
productive to request an AMBER
should be no longer than one to
Alert if no provision is made to
four sentences, using the fewest
communicate with reporters who
words possible without compro
have legitimate news questions or
mising clarity.
even information obtained inde
pendently. Ideally, the message should con
tain as many of the following ele
A mechanism should be in place
ments as possible:
for reporters to communicate to
law enforcement any unexpected ✦ Specific information about the
needs that could arise once an day, time, and location of the
AMBER Alert has been requested. incident and other details if
MOU agreements must be flexible available.
enough to address issues that
arise.
6 AMBER Alert Best Practices Guide for Broadcasters and Other Media Outlets
