Child Rescue Alert
Nottinghamshire Police has introduced Child Rescue Alert, a national scheme designed to activate a fast time response to help find an abducted child before they come to any harm.
The scheme relies heavily on the help and involvement of the public, and operates as a partnership between Nottinghamshire Police and the local TV and radio stations.
Local media have agreed to interrupt television and radio programmes when asked to do so by the police, with news flashes alerting the public and asking them to call 999 or another designated number, if they have crucial information. As many details as possible will be given in the message so the public can immediately help the police look for the child, offender or any vehicle involved.
Child Rescue Alert is based on an American concept called ‘Amber Alert’, which was introduced in Texas in 1996 following the abduction and murder of nine-year-old Amber Hagerman. The scheme has now spread across America and has helped save the lives of more than 70 children.
When an alert would be launched
There are four key criteria that must be met before a Child Rescue Alert is launched:
- A child apparently under the age of 18 is missing
- There is reasonable belief that the child has been kidnapped or abducted
- There is a reasonable belief that the child is in imminent danger of serious harm or death
- There is sufficient information to enable the public to assist the Police in locating the child
Making the decision
The key decision is whether to launch an alert or not. Child abduction is thankfully still quite rare and it is not anticipated that the alert will be used very often. It is also felt that overuse will destroy confidence in the system.
It is acknowledged that the four criteria are all subjective, which is why the authorising officer will be of superintendent rank or above.
Once the Child Rescue Alert has been authorised, an alert will be circulated via e-mail to all media outlets signed up to the scheme containing as much information as possible, including:
- Description of the child
- Details of location and nature of the offence
- Description of the offender(s)
- Details of any vehicle used
How will I see or hear the message?
Radio stations will broadcast the Child Rescue Alert message every 15 minutes for four hours, while television stations will use a ticker tape at the bottom of the screen, or during a local transmission, will interrupt the programme and broadcast a newsflash.
What do I need to do?
Members of the public will be encouraged to keep their eyes and ears open for anything that may help the Police find the abducted child. If they see anything, they should call the Police on 999 or another designated number.
Our partners
The introduction of Child Rescue Alert in Nottinghamshire has been made possible by the co-operation and assistance of the broadcast media and the support of other organisations.