AMBER Alert

Overview

Each AMBER Alert broadcast:

• asks for tips to help find an abducted child – or adult with a proven mental or physical disability – who is at risk of harm
• gives details about the child or adult

Activation

Only police can activate an AMBER Alert. Before doing this, they will conduct a thorough investigation and collect the information necessary to issue it.

Criteria

Police only activate an alert if all 4 activation criteria have been met:

• a child or an adult with a proven mental or physical disability has been abducted
• the child or adult is in danger of serious harm or death
• there’s enough descriptive information to enable the public to identify the:
  • child or adult
  • abductor, or
  • mode of transportation
• there’s a reasonable expectation the abductee could be returned, or the abductor could be apprehended

Details

AMBER Alerts may include information like:

• descriptions – suspect, abductee, vehicles
• abduction details – when, where, how the abduction happened
• locations – the last possible location of the suspect or abductee
• directions – directions the suspect may be traveling

Broadcasts

When an AMBER Alert is broadcasted, the alert:

• interrupts radio and TV stations in Alberta
• appears on social media platforms such as:
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • RSS feeds
• appears on:
  • the Alberta Emergency Alert web page
  • digital highway billboards
• notifies:
  • the Canadian Border Services Agency
  • other police agencies throughout Alberta
• sends:
  • alerts to subscribed mobile devices through the Alberta Emergency Alert app
  • a message to compatible mobile devices through the Alert Ready Emergency Alert System

Partners

The AMBER Alert program is based on a co-operative partnership between:

• Alberta Justice and Solicitor General
• Alberta Municipal Affairs
• Alberta Transportation
• police services in Alberta
• the media
• Canada Border Services Agency
• the public
• other provinces:
  • each province has their own AMBER Alert system, but efforts can also be coordinated across provinces