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Oregon State Police - Amber Alert Program

AMBER Alert Web Portal FAQs
How is the AMBER Alert Web Portal different from the current AMBER system?
The AMBER Alert Web Portal acknowledges that speed is the most important weapon in the hunt for child abductors.  The current AMBER system can take hours before it is communicated to the public.  The AMBER Alert Web Portal can accomplish the same goal in about 10 minutes, while at the same time alerting 10 times as many groups and individuals.
 
How does the AMBER Alert Web Portal work?
Law enforcement signs into the secure, encrypted network and enters all necessary data.  With one keystroke, the officer can send the information to all relevant parties.  The AMBER Alert Web Portal  will simultaneously send this information directly to private citizens who registered online to receive real-time alerts via cell phone, pager, or email. Once new information is available, like a better description of the abductor or his/her car, the first responder can immediately update the information to the Portal, sending it to all alerting partners and the public.
 
Besides speed, what else does the AMBER Alert Web Portal offer? 
The AMBER Alert Web Portal is also an ongoing education and prevention tool.  Information provided on the website and at sponsored events held throughout the year will continually education children, parents and anyone interested in eliminating child abductions.  There will also be an ongoing campaign led by the broadcasters to ensure the public signs up to receive these alerts.
 
When will the AMBER Alert Web Portal go live?
There are several states already online with the new technology upgrade the AMBER Alert Web Portal offers.  It is anticipated that all 50 states will be online by early 2006.
 
When can citizens begin registering for real-time alerts?
An individual can sign up to receive these real-time alerts in any specific geographic area as soon as the state comes online.
 
Has the new system been tested to ensure that it will work?
The AMBER Alert Web Portal has gone through 18 months of development and testing by all stakeholders.
 
How much does the AMBER Alert Web Portal project cost?
While it has cost millions to develop, the AMBER Alert Web Portal is funded almost entirely through corporate sponsorships.  Current title corporate sponsors include Limelight Networks, Symantec, ESRI, Hewlett Packard and Intel.
 
Who is responsible for ongoing operations for the AMBER Alert Web Portal?
The AMBER Alert Web Portal Consortium will govern the AMBER Alert Web Portal with state AMBER committees providing oversight for their states.
 
Who posts the information on an abducted child?
Local law enforcement officials are the only ones that will have access to the highly secure AMBER Alert Web Portal and will be the only ones able to post, update, or cancel AMBER Alert information.
 
Who is responsible for the accuracy of the information?
At this time, the AMBER Alert Review Committee is responsible for the accuracy of AMBER Alert information.  Once a law enforcement entity decides the case meets AMBER Alert criteria, they will post pertinent child abduction information onto the AMBER Alert Web Portal.
 
What are the criteria for activating the AMBER Alert Web Portal?
While there are minor variations from state to state, in general, the criteria is as follows:
 
  1. A child under 18 years of age who is known to be abducted and is not a runaway or abandoned.
  2. The abducted child is believed to be in danger of death or serious bodily injury.
  3. The AMBER Alert Web Portal activation should occur as soon as the event qualifies under the criteria as an AMBER Alert unless circumstances of the timeliness of the information warrant otherwise.
  4. There must be enough descriptive information available to believe that an AMBER Alert activation will assist in the recovery of the child.  The information must include as much of the following as possible.
    • Where the abduction took place
    • A specific physical description of the child (can include clothing worn when last seen, height, weight, hair and eye color, hair length, any additional distinguishing physical characteristics)
    • A physical description of the abductor (can include height, weight, hair color/length, eye/skin color, clothing, any distinguishing physical characteristics)
    • Place last seen
    • Description of the vehicle (can include color, make, model, license number, approximate year [older, newer]).  The information is updated as needed by local law enforcement officials.
  5. The incident must be reported to, and investigated by, a law enforcement agency.
 
How long will the information be available?
This is controlled by the local law enforcement.
 
Does this new system conform to all current AMBER guidelines?
The AMBER Alert Web Portal meets and now exceeds all state and national requirements and guidelines.  It uses the new Department of Justice XML standards and the new Common Alert Protocol.
 
Who makes up the AMBER Alert Web Portal Consortium?
The AMBER Alert Web Portal Consortium is a public/private partnership led by broadcasters who have come together and re-engineered their AMBER Alert business processes, share best practices, adopt common standards and implement common procedures.  This allows for a very efficient, comprehensive system, so that stakeholders such as the broadcast media, the public, law enforcement, transportation agencies, private corporations, border organizations, corrections officers, probation officers, Megan's Law officials, utilities, transit authorities, and other appropriate organizations can quickly get important information about an abduction and work together to save the life of an abducted child.