AMBER Alert International – Fall 2017

Forty police officers as well as politicians from ten European countries met for an AMBER Alert training on October 24, 2017. Charlie Hedges, AMBER Alert Europe’s Police Network Coordinator, shared best practices on handling missing children cases at the meeting in Vilnius, Lithuania. “A quick risk assessment is crucial to identify the correct response to save a child whose life is in immediate danger,” said Hedges.

Members of AMBER Alert Europe are asking the European Parliament to list all missing children on the continent’s notification system. Currently the notices only go out if the person has been placed under protection or to prevent threats. The Schengen Information System (SIS) is used to send messages in 29 countries throughout Europe. “At least 250,000 children are reported missing every year in the European Union,” said Frank Hoen, President of AMBER Alert Europe. “We urge MEPs (Members of the European Parliament) to adopt a position that ensures that all missing children at risk may be entered in SIS at the request of the competent authorities.”

An Austrian search organization signed an agreement to become the 29th partner with AMBER Alert Europe. “Österreich Findet Euch” originally began in 1944 to help children find their fathers who served in World War II. In 2015 the organization started using the same principles used by be AMBER Alert Europe. The September 14, 2017, document formalizes that the group will now take part in all of the communication methods used by AMBER Alert Europe.