Kansans can now look out for missing children by receiving Amber Alerts on Twitter, Kansas Attorney General Derek Schmidt said today.
“When a child is missing, the public’s assistance is crucial to returning the child safely,” Schmidt said. “Social media provides us a new way to get information out quickly to the public in the event of an Amber Alert.”
A new Twitter account, @AMBERAlert, was launched this week in conjunction with National Amber Alert Awareness Day. The account, managed by the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, will provide information on all Amber Alerts issued nationwide.
The Kansas Amber Alert system is coordinated by the Kansas Attorney General’s Office and Kansas Bureau of Investigation. When an alert is issued, the media are notified to begin broadcasting the details of the missing child and suspect. Kansans can also receive Amber Alerts on Facebook by liking the Kansas Amber Alert page at www.facebook.com/AmberAlertKS.
The Amber Alert program, named for 9-year-old Amber Hagerman, is a voluntary partnership between law enforcement agencies, broadcasters, and transportation agencies to activate an urgent bulletin in the most serious child-abduction cases. Broadcasters use the Emergency Alert System (EAS) to air a description of the abducted child and suspected abductor. The goal of an Amber Alert is to instantly galvanize the entire community to assist in the search for and safe recovery of the child.
Since its inception in 1996, this program has successfully brought 679 children home safely. In Kansas, 23 children have been safely returned since 2002.
In addition to the Amber Alert program, the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children maintains a list of all missing children from Kansas. That database can be accessed at www.missingkids.com. Anyone with information about the whereabouts of any of these missing persons should contact a law enforcement agency or call 1-800-KS-CRIME.
For more information, visit www.ag.ks.gov/amber-alert.
MOST VIEWED STORIES
Holton man killed in Jackson Co crash
Morrill pair arrested on drug, child endangerment charges
Cold case investigation leads to Holton warrant
Horton City Clerk's resignation accepted Monday
Effingham owner regains truck following theft, arrest
Falls City man sentenced to Federal Prison
Ground Broken for new Sac and Fox Trad'n Post
Local residents avoid injury in chain reaction crash
Jackson Co traffic stop leads to arrest
One held for past Atchison shooting
90 mph+ downburst winds blamed for Thursday damage
Wamego man sentenced in second fentanyl-related death
Mayetta pair arrested on meth, child endangerment charges
Stolen trailer, 4-wheeler, recovered in Atchison
Early Thursday storms leave damage, outages, locally
Juveniles face charges following Atchison break-in
Atchison Co's Oswald named honorary bailiff for KS Court
LATEST STORIES
Atchison company earns energy grant; upgrades planned
Winchester native named as Amberwell CEO
April is Alcohol Awareness Month in Nebraska
MoDOT to discuss Holt County bridge projects
Sheriff's Office to take part in drug take back event
Council hears report from golf course
Commission approves agreement for budget help
Pawnee City School Board approves personnel changes
Hazard mitigation planning meeting set for Atchison County MO