South Carolina Amber Alert Plan

Background

In 1993, at the request of then S. C. Representative Lindsey Graham, the state of South Carolina developed and initiated Operation Child Alert, a statewide notification system to be activated when a child is abducted. In recent years, several states have developed similar notification systems commonly named ‘Amber Alert’. Amber Alert is a joint collaboration between radio and television broadcasters and the law enforcement community.

Amber Alert’s purpose is to provide broad notification to the general public through the broadcasting community. Named for Amber Hagerman, a nine year old from Arlington, Texas who was abducted in 1996 while riding her bicycle. Her body was found four days later. Amber Alert’s goal is to provide the general public, with important information regarding a child’s abduction in an effort to increase the number of eyes looking for that child.

Purpose

Realizing that time is of the essence, most children who are abducted are killed within the first three hours of their disappearance. Under Amber Alert, radio and television stations immediately interrupt their regular programming to broadcast information about a child’s abduction. It is hoped that information may be obtained that leads to the quick and safe recovery of the child

When is Amber Alert Activated?

The South Carolina Amber Alert Plan will be activated when an abduction is reported and the investigation reveals:

• 1. The child is 17 years old or younger, and the police believes the child is in immediate danger.
• 2. The individual is 17 years old or older, if the person possesses a proven physical or mental disability that would place him/her at a greater risk. This does not include alzheimer victims.
• 3. Parental or family abductions when the child is 16 years or younger and the investigation determines the child’s life is in immediate danger.
• 4. All other possibilities have been reasonably excluded.

Each law enforcement agency will designate two to three ranking officers who will have the sole authority to evaluate the investigating officer’s report regarding the abduction. If the abduction meets the criteria for activation of the Amber Alert Plan, only the Amber Alert’s designated officer may activate the plan.

The designated officer activates the Amber Alert Plan by notifying the State Law Enforcement Division (SLED), of the abduction and all pertinent descriptive information available from the initial investigation. This notification will be made by calling the state’s missing person clearinghouse.

Upon receiving the described information from the local designated officer, SLED will disseminate the information to all participating radio and television stations by three methods: (1) broadcast fax; (2) e- mail; and (3) by activating the Emergency Alert System (EAS). EAS is the public notification system used to alert the public for weather and other emergencies.

Definitions

Abduction - a child is involuntarily missing from the person(s) having care-taking responsibility for the child, or when an eye witness can confirm the abduction and provide specific descriptive information concerning the abducted child, the person(s) taking the child, a car, and direction of travel, or there exists specific evidence that the child’s disappearance is not voluntary.

Child - a person under 17 years of age.

Missing Person - a person 17 years or older with a known or proved physical or mental disability that would place him/her at a greater risk. This does not include Alzheimers victims.

Updates - any new information to be made available through SLED and the Amber Alert system must be made by the agency that activated the system.

Cancellation - only the originating agency can cancel an Amber Alert.

Activation Process for the Amber Alert Plan

Only Amber Alert designated officers who have been properly training and certified by the S.C. Criminal Justice Academy. The designated officer may activate the alert plan by calling SLED’s missing persons central clearing house. SLED will accept the information and will disseminate the information by fax, e-mail, and activation of the EAS broadcasting system. SLED will use a specially designed document for the broadcast fax which must include a special code that will confirm to the broadcast community that the SLED fax is genuine. This code will change on a time frame agreed upon by SLED and the broadcasters. All relevant information regarding the abduction should be entered on NCIC at the earliest possible time. Finally, SLED will notify the S.C. Department of Transportation and giving the appropriate information to DOT for display on their highway traffic advisory signs.

Broadcast to the Public

All participating radio and television stations will broadcast the alert that a child or abducted person is missing. They will broadcast the relevant information received from SLED which should include:

• 1. An abduction has been reported;
• 2. Where and when the abduction occurred;
• 3. A description of the child;
• 4. A description of the abductor;
• 5. A description of the vehicle involved if any;
• 6. Last known direction of travel;
• 7. Notification to the public to call 911 if they have any information regarding the abduction. This information should be broadcast every 15 minutes for three hours. Updated broadcasts should be made quickly to inform the public of new information.

Law Enforcement Check List

I. Child reported abducted -- the decision to review the information for possible activation of the Amber Alert Plan:

• 17 years or younger and police believe the child is in immediate danger.
• 17 years or older if the victim possesses a known or proved physical or mental disability that would place them at a greater risk, with the exception of Alzheimer victims.
• Parental or family abductions when the child is 17 years or younger and the investigation determines the child’s life is in immediate danger.
• All other possibilities have been reasonably excluded.

II. Only designated Amber Alert officers may activate the Plan by calling 1-800-322-4453, SLED’s missing person clearinghouse.

III. Updates will be passed through SLED following the same procedures as applied with initial notification.

IV. Place appropriate information on NCIC as soon as possible.

South Carolina Amber Alert Committee Members

• S.C. Sheriffs’ Association
• S.C. Police Chiefs’ Association
• S.C. Broadcasters Association
• National Center for Missing & Exploited Children--S.C. Branch
• State Law Enforcement Division
• S.C. Department of Public Safety
• S.C. Department of Transportation
• S.C. Emergency Management Division
• S.C. Law Enforcement Officers’ Association
• Richland County Sheriff’s Department
• Charleston County Sheriff’s Office
• Greenville Police Department
• Myrtle Beach Police Department
• Federal Highway Administration (FHWA)
• Federal Bureau of Investigation