Law Enforcement

AMBER Alert Sign
AMBER Sign 911

Law Enforcement officers who respond to the initial abducted child call must make the determination whether the circumstances at the scene meet the criteria of an AMBER Alert. Making the AMBER Alert determination is the critical first step. Make sure you know the process!

Activation Process

Activation of the AMBER Alert Notification Plan can be initiated by a local law enforcement agency or by ISP. If for any reason the local law enforcement agency is unavailable, ISP will conduct the investigation. Once the contacted agency receives a report, the following process should be followed:

  1. Confirm that an abduction has taken place and the criteria have been met,
  2. Call ISP Springfield Communication Center (SCC), and complete the pre-established two page facsimile packet available here or in the forms section of LEADS. The facsimile message must include detailed information which could be helpful to the public in identifying the child,
    • Designate a department contact for ISP SCC (include a name and telephone number on the standardized facsimile form),
    • Designate a secondary number to list for media contacts,
    • Obtain a photo for posting and forward to ISP
    • Local law enforcement agencies must follow intra-departmental policy regarding the actual investigation process involving any abducted/kidnaped child incident which takes place within their jurisdiction. The jurisdiction shall maintain contact with the Illinois AMBER Alert Coordinator.
    • Disseminate necessary abduction information via a LEADS/NLETS message (sent LUUU). ISPERN messages shall be coordinated through the ISP district of occurrence,
    • The portrait of the child should be forwarded electronically along with a copy of all abduction details/summaries to the ISP Clearinghouse for Missing and Exploited Children Manager (isp.missing@illinois.gov), Telephone #: 800/843-5763, Facsimile #: 217/558-7152
  3. After being contacted by the reporting agency, ISP SCC will conduct the following tasks:
    • Confirm with the reporting agency to verify receipt of the AMBER Alert Notification Plan information,
    • Contact DOO Clearinghouse personnel to verify criteria,
    • Contact NWS and advise of a forthcoming NOAA AMBER Alert,
    • Script AMBER Alert message and send using NOAA weather radio Emergency Alert System (EAS),
    • Call NWS and confirm receipt of message,
    • As a secondary notification to broadcasters, complete the electronic AMBER Alert Blastfax Form and disseminate,
    • Notify IDOT and Tollway with necessary information to activate electronic road message boards,
    • Provide secondary dissemination to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) to be used for the activation of Wireless Emergency Alerts (WEA) for cell phone users.
  4. After receiving notification via NOAA EAS and/or blastfax, the broadcasters can either transcribe the information included in the faxed AMBER Alert Notification Plan or rebroadcast the NOAA EAS message,
    • A rebroadcast of the alert should be conducted at a minimum of every 30 minutes for at least four hours (not to exceed eight hours) after the notification was received,
    • The decision to rebroadcast the AMBER Alert Notification Plan information at a later time will be left up to each individual broadcasting station and is completely voluntary,

The above-mentioned steps provide an efficient and streamlined approach in disseminating detailed information regarding an abducted child whose life may be in danger. The goal of this notification process is to be quick, clear, concise, uncluttered, and effective.

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Canceling the Alert

Subsequent updates (within eight hours from the time of abduction) from your department shall be provided to the Illinois AMBER Alert Coordinator. If the child has been located or upon closure of the child abduction case, call ISP SCC or complete the AMBER Alert Notification Plan Cancellation Form and fax it to ISP SCC. The ISP SCC will notify NWS and broadcasters of the cancellation. After eight hours of the abduction any updates/cancellations should be made directly to the Illinois AMBER Alert Coordinator (800/843-5763).

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AMBER Plan and Forms

Public Act 92-0259 mandated the Illinois State Police (ISP) develop and implement, by January 1, 2002, a coordinated program for a statewide emergency alert when a child is reported endangered.

As a result of Public Act 92-0259 and in cooperation with the Illinois Association of Chiefs of Police, Illinois Sheriffs’ Association, and the Illinois State Clearinghouse for Missing and Exploited Children, a statewide “AMBER Alert Notification Plan” was developed. The goal was to create a “workable” AMBER plan applicable to and implemented by any city (including towns and villages), county, or state law enforcement agency in Illinois and amiable to radio and television broadcasting companies. The “AMBER alert” quickly informs the public of specific information regarding the abduction of a child whose life may be in danger. The Plan provides information about the child’s alleged abductor(s) and possible vehicle description to the public through an Emergency Alert System (EAS). The EAS provides for broadcasting this important information over radio and television stations. The media message instructs the public to contact law enforcement agencies with any information identifying possible leads for sightings of the child and/or the child’s abductor(s). The plan also defines the role of the officer in the activation and cancellation criteria and directs the reporting individual to the appropriate city/county agency where the abduction occurred.

Executive Summary
AMBER Request Fax
AMBER Cancellation Fax
AMBER Plan 2013
Endangered Missing Person Advisory Form

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Law Enforcement Training

Illinois AMBER Plan Task Force conducts a training program for law enforcement personnel of local governmental agencies in the state coordinated child abduction alert system. For more information or to inquire about hosting a training contact us at:

Illinois AMBER Plan Task Force
Child Safety Coordinator
Illinois State Police
2200 S. Dirksen Pkwy., Ste. 238
Springfield, Illinois 62703-4528

1-800-843-5763
isp.missing@illinois.gov

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Other Resources:

The National Center for Missing & Exploited Children®

 

The National Center for Missing & Exploited Children® provides valuable resources and technical assistance to law enforcement as they work to find missing children and combat child sexual exploitation.

http://www.missingkids.com/home

NCMEC

AMBER Alert Training and Technical Assistance (T&TA) Program

 

The AMBER Alert Training and Technical Assistance (T&TA) Program provided by Fox Valley Technical College provides technical assistance training and services to Federal, state, local and tribal law enforcement agencies as well as other key AMBER Alert stakeholders to increase collaboration, improve skills, and develop effective policies and practices to protect and safely recover missing, endangered, and abducted children.

http://www.missingkids.com/LawEnforcement

LE Training 3

Amber-Net.org

 

The Illinois Law Enforcement Training and Standards Board, referred to as the Board, is the state agency mandated to promote and maintain a high level of professional standards for law enforcement and correctional officers. Its purpose is to promote and protect citizen health, safety and welfare by encouraging municipalities, counties, park districts, State-controlled universities, colleges, public community colleges, and other local governmental agencies of this state and participating State agencies in their efforts to upgrade and maintain a high level of training and standards for law enforcement personnel.

http://amber-net.org/

http://www.ptb.state.il.us/training/mtu/mtumap.htm

LE training

Team Adam

 

Team Adam, a program of the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children®, provides rapid, on-site assistance to law enforcement agencies and families in serious cases of missing children. Team Adam consultants are retired law enforcement professionals with years of investigative experience at the federal, state and local levels.

Consultants from Team Adam rapidly deploy to sites where these cases are unfolding. They provide on-the-ground technical assistance and connect local law enforcement to a national network of resources.

The program's unique access to NCMEC's resources, coupled with years of law enforcement experience, often provides departments with the added tools needed to better address complex, media intensive cases.

http://www.missingkids.com/TeamAdam

LE Training2

A Child Is Missing

 

A Child Is Missing is devoted to assisting law enforcement in the search and early safe recovery efforts of children / the elderly (often with Alzheimer's) / disabled persons and college students via a rapid-response neighborhood alert program utilizing high-tech telephony systems.

http://www.achildismissing.org/default.asp

A child is missing

Law Enforcement Alerting Portal (LEAP)

LEAP Portal

The Illinois State Police has partnered with Amberalert.com to provide effective and efficient technology to meet our AMBER Alert Broadcast needs. Through this partnership AMBER Alert Broadcasts in Illinois will be quicker and more reliable thus making the AMBER Alert more effective.

AmberAlert.com has no authority over the issuing of AMBER™ Alerts.

AmberAlert.com is a privately-held company that exists to help ensure the safety of children and families. To that end, we have developed the most advanced information dissemination portal to issue AMBER™ Alerts, helping to potentially reduce response times from hours to minutes when it matters most. AmberAlert.com supports state AMBER™ Alert Programs by providing them with our Law Enforcement Alerting Portal (L.E.A.P.) technology, for issuing AMBER Alerts, at no cost.

The AmberAlert.com L.E.A.P. provides law enforcement the tools they need to ensure:

  • Reliability
  • Redundancy
  • Stability
  • Speed
  • Efficiency

We provide the following alerting services to law enforcement:

  • AMBER™ Alerts
  • Missing/Endangered Person Advisories

Fast, Efficient & Reliable Information Dispatch

AmberAlert.com has worked with law enforcement agencies to address reporting and support needs, providing our technology and service at no cost. AmberAlert.com serves as the Primary Alerting System for Illinois, Utah, Tennessee, Idaho, Kentucky, Missouri, Montana, Oregon, Rhode Island, and Washington and as a Secondary Alerting System in all 50 states.

http://www.amberalert.com

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