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emergency - amber alert

The responsibility and the decision to activate the AMBER ALERT Protocol will rest ONLY with the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation and the Clearinghouse for Missing and Exploited Children who has determined that any of the below listed criteria has been satisfied.

S T E P   ONE                                          

LAW ENFORCEMENT DETERMINATION - ONLY

*Interview parent(s)/person who made initial report. *Verify that the child is in fact missing. *Verify child's custody status.  *Identify the circumstances of the disappearance.   *Determine when, where, and by whom, the missing child was last seen.   *Interview the individuals who last had contact with the child.   *Identify the child's zone of safety for his or her age and the child's developmental stage.   *Based on the available information, make an initial determination of the type of  incident whether non-family abduction; family abduction; endangered runaway; or lost, injured, or otherwise missing.   *Obtain a detailed description of the missing child, abductor and any vehicles used.   *Relay detailed description and photograph of the missing child, abductor and any vehicles used.  *Request additional personnel if circumstances require.  *Request investigative assistance if necessary.   *Request supervisory assistance.   *Officer or supervisor on scene determines if missing child case meets criteria for an AMBER ALERT.

Note: To activate an AMBER ALERT there must be accurate information on at least one of the following:

(a) description of child or  (b) description of suspect or  (c) description of vehicle  Child Must Be 17 years of age or younger

Must be a belief that the child is in imminent danger of bodily injury  or death. The following factors may be considered as placing the child  in imminent danger; and

• The missing child is believed to be out of the zone of safety for his or her age and development  stage.

•  The missing child is mentally incapacitated.

•  The missing child is drug dependent, on prescribed medication and/or illegal substances, and the dependency is potentially life threatening.  

• The missing child has been absent from the home for more than 24 hours before the incident was reported to the police.

•  Based on available information, it is determined that the missing child is in a life-threatening situation.

• Based on available information, it is believed that the missing child is in the company of adults who could endanger his or her welfare.

STEP TWO

IF CHILD MEETS AMBER ALERT CRITERIA

An AMBER ALERT BOLO (Be-on-the-lookout-for), containing summary information about the child abduction, must be sent in all cases to the National Weather Service (NWS) by which the Emergency Alert System is to be activated as a CAE event code.  The BOLO will also be used to disseminate information to other law enforcement agencies and media outlets statewide (or regionally if this is determined necessary) additionally through the LOCATOR System which is faxed or emailed.

*The child must also be entered into NCIC Missing Person File and any information on a suspected abductor(s) is entered into the NCIC Wanted Person File.  If this is not possible, the information will be entred into the miscellaneous field of the child's entry.

*An officer will secure the most recent photograph of child and take to the nearest LOCATER system to create AMBER ALERT poster.

*An AMBER ALERT poster will be created with LOCATER system at law enforcement agency and emailed to pre-programmed television, radio stations (see APPENDIX A) and law enforcement agencies (i.e. Tennessee Highway Patrol, TBI, surrounding counties law enforcement).  The  poster may also be distributed by the agency to the public in the search area and posted on the TBI website.

*The TBI will establish a telephone hotline for receipt of tips and leads and leads management system to prioritize leads and help ensure that each one is reviewed and checked.

STEP THREE

ACTIVATING THE EMERGENCY ALERT SYSTEM

The decision to rebroadcast the "AMBER ALERT" information will be left up to each individual station and is completely voluntary.

The TBI will be contacted by proper authority (State Missing Children's Clearinghouse) as 1-800-TBI-FIND to activate the AMBER ALERT and broadcast Emergency Alert System through the National Weather Service.  The NWS will then issue an appropriate CAE event code either statewide or regionally (Nashville, Morristown and Memphis).

TBI will also:

*contact the Tennessee Department of Transportation to activate "Intelligent Transportation Signs" with an AMBER ALERT in the cities where the signs are available.  Also, TBI will contact the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, Tennessee Emergency Management Agency and the Tennessee Highway Patrol (Dept.of Safety).

*Determine what additional resources and specialized services are required

*Establish a command post away from the child's residence

*Ensure coordination/cooperation among all law-enforcement personnel involved in the investigation and search effort

*Ensure that all agency policies and procedures are in compliance

*Utilize authorized media (including radio, television, and newspapers) to assist in the search for the missing child and maintain media relations, per established protocols throughout the duration of the case

*TBI will activate the AMBER ALERT web page as soon as information is received from the initiating agency and rebroadcst the AMBER ALERT BOLO to surrounding states.  Access to the web page may be achieved by logging on to the TBI page at www.tbi.state.tn.us

STEP FOUR

IF THE CHILD IS LOCATED

*If child is located the TBI will send EAS notification to the NWS, email message to the LOCATER system; notify  TDOT, THP, TEMA and National Center for Missiong and Exploited Children that AMBER ALERT has been candelled

*Cancel NCIC entry and AMBER ALERT BOLO

*Broadcastes and other media will alert the public of cancellation

SUSPECT ARREST and/or CANCELLATION

A.  As soon as a suspect is arrested, the Office Command Center shall be notified by the personnel making the arrest.  The Office Command Center Supervisor will be responsible for notifying the following:

     1.  Department Head/Commander

     2.  Investigation Supervisor

     3.  Field Search Supervisor

     4.  Office Command Center Supervisor

     5.  Assigned TBI Supervisor/Agent

     6.  Public Information Officer

     7.  Any additional staff as indicated by the Incident Command

     8.  Media and support agencies with additional information

B.  These notifications will be made by landline telephone, the National Weather Service, LOCATER Syestm fax, email and not by plice radio or cellular phone.  AMBER ALERT may or may not be active at this point depending on status of the child.

C.  The suspect will be taken as soon as practical to the interview rooms.  The Investigation Supervisor will determine who will interview the suspect, unless the suspect has murdered the child, in which case the Special Investigations Unit Supervisor will determine who will interview the susepect.  If no investigative personnel are available, a TBI Special Agency may be requested to assist in the interview of the suspect.

D.  Law enforcement will determine at this time whether or not to cancel the AMBER ALERT.