HomeMy WebLinkAboutMINUTES - 12032002 - SD6 -TO: BOARD OF SUPERVISORS Contra
FROM: Sheriff-CoronerCosta
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DATE: December 3, 2002
SUBJECT: Status Report on Amber Alert Network County
SPECIFIC REQUEST(S)OR RECOMMENDATION(S)&BACKGROUND AND JUSTIFICATION
RECOMMENDATION:
ACCEPT the status report from the County Administrator and the Office of the Sheriff on the
implementation of the California Child Safety Amber Network (Amber Alert) in Contra Costa
County.
BACKGROUND:
The AMBER Alert System stands for America's Missing: Broadcast Emergency Response.
It is named after Amber Hagerman, a nine-year-old Texas girl who was kidnapped while
riding her bicycle in Arlington, Texas and then brutally murdered. After this heinous crime,
Dallas-Fort Worth broadcasters teamed with local police to develop an early warning system
to help find abducted children.
The goal of the AMBER Alert System is the safe return of an abducted child by establishing
an effective partnership between the community, the media, and law enforcement.
Activation of the alert system may assist local agencies in the safe return of abducted
children who may be in harm's way.
AMBER Alert Plans are gaining popularity across the country. Since 9996, fib plans have
been established at the local, regional and state levels, and 24 states have adopted a
statewide plan. Currently, the Center for Missing and Exploited Children credits AMBER
Alert Plans with the safe return of 39 children across the country.
The AMBER Alert System provides a powerful set of tools for notifying allied law
enforcement agencies, the media and the public of child abductions. These tools include:
- Countywide activation of the California Law Enforcement Radio System (CLERS)
- Statewide All Points Bulletin (APB) activated by local law enforcement agencies
- Activation of the Emergency Alert System (EAS) to rapidly notify the public
- Alerting of the media statewide via the Emergency Digital Information System (EDIS)
- Changeable Message Signs (CMS) activated by California Highway Patrol or
CalTrans
By utilizing the assistance of radio, television and press affiliates the public will be notified
of the circumstances of a child's abduction and how they can assist law enforcement in the
child's recovery.
CONTINUED ON ATTACHMENT: �x,_YES SIGNATURE: r
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RECOMMENDATION OF COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR A C C E P T S 1) the r e ort r e a r e d b
RECOMMENDATION OF BOARD COMMITTEE the County Probation Officer on the Developing
APPROVE OTHER
Increased Safety Throe Aims Recovery Management
(D.I.S.A.R.M.) Program, regarding the efforts being rade in Contra Costa County to confiscate
weapons and illegal drugs from convicted felons,and SDPPORnm the efforts of the Probation
Department to secure grant or other funds to expand those efforts,
SIGNATURE(S):
Action of Board on: PgR= 3, 2002 Approved as Recommended X Other
VOTE OF SUPERVISORS I HEREBY CERTIFY THAT THIS IS A TRUE
AND CORRECT COPY OF AN ACTION TAKEN
X UNANIMOUS(ABSENT NOW ) AND ENTERED ON THE MINUTES OF THE
BOARD OF SUPERVISORS ON THE DATE
AYES: NOES:_. _ SHOWN.
ABSENT: ABSTAIN:
ATTESTED
CONTACT: Commander Clancy(313-2410) JOHN SWE O BOARD OF
Cc:Sheriff-Coroner(Operations Unit) SUPERVLSORS AND CO NTY ADMIN STRATOR
County Administrator(George Roemer) BY a` tl. ,DEPUTY
ID,
w Page 2 ,
December 3, 2002
Fortunately, the number of serious child abductions in the United States is not on the
rise. There were approximately 58,200 "non-family abductions' in 1999 where
children were forcibly moved or detained for a relatively short period of time. Ninety-
nine percent of these children returned home safely. Only 115 of all non-family
abductions were the most serious and dangerous types of abductions — those
perpetrated by strangers where the child was kept overnight, held for ransom or
killed. Approximately 56 percent of these children where returned home. Tragically,
in 40 percent of these cases, the child was killed. In another four percent, the child
was never found.
Recently, the Contra Costa County Sheriff-Coroner modified the Patrol Division
Policy Manual to include a specific procedure for the activation of the AMBER Alert
Network (Chapter 2, Section 6, Procedure 7).
The AMBER Alert System can be activated in situations that meet the following
criteria:
1. A confirmed report of an abduction of a person under 18 years of age
or who has a mental or physical disability.
2. The victim is believed to be in imminent danger of serious risk based
on the specific facts of the case, AND
3. There is sufficient information available that, if disseminated to the
public, would aid in the safe recovery of the victim.
When an abduction meets the outlined criteria, the Sheriffs Communications Center
uses a dedicated telephone number to the California Highway Patrol's (CHP) Golden
Gate Communications Center in Vallejo. CHP evaluates the information and
determines if their criteria is met. If/when CHP approves, CHP will contact CalTrans
and forward the information. CalTrans then activates the highway signs.
If a citizen identifies a vehicle, suspect, and/or missing child that is identified in an
AMBER Alert, they should immediately contact the local law enforcement agency
through 911.