Why does Tennessee Bureau of Investigation issue Amber Alerts? What does it mean?
The sound is jarring by design − an earsplitting bleat from your cellphone meant to interrupt whatever you are doing and make you focus on the fact that a child is missing and possibly in imminent danger.
But beyond the short line of text that informs you who is missing and from where, you might be wondering, what is an Amber Alert, anyway?
Current Amber Alert: Teen out missing in Middle Tennessee
Amber Alerts were used in two missing child cases in East Tennessee that eventually became stories of national interest: Evelyn Mae Boswell, whose mother Megan is awaiting trial on charges including felony murder and aggravated child abuse; and Summer Wells, who disappeared in 2021 and has not been located.
What is an Amber Alert and why are they issued?
The Amber Alert system got its start in 1996; Amber stands for America’s Missing: Broadcast Emergency Response and was created as a legacy to 9-year-old Amber Hagerman, who was kidnapped while riding her bicycle in Arlington, Texas, and brutally murdered.
The goal of an Amber Alert is to instantly galvanize the community to assist in the search for and safe recovery of a missing child, according to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. These alerts are broadcast through radio, TV, road signs, cellphones and other data-enabled devices. The Amber Alert system is being used nationwide.
How does Tennessee use the Amber Alert system?
Each state has different criteria for alerts for missing individuals. The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation is the missing children’s clearinghouse for the state, and is the only agency in the state that can issue an Amber Alert.
TBI reserves Amber Alerts for the most serious of missing children cases, in which law enforcement believes that a child is in imminent danger. TBI uses partner agencies including TEMA, the Tennessee Association of Broadcasters, the National Weather Service and TDOT to amplify the message of vital information about the missing child and, if available, the suspect, vehicle and direction of travel.
Why does my phone go off when an Amber Alert is issued?
TBI works with the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children to activate the cellular telephone network to allow for quick and accurate information to be delivered directly to cellphone users.
As of Dec. 31, 2023, 1,186 children have been recovered due to Amber Alerts, the center said, adding that 165 of those were due to the Wireless Emergency Alerts program.
Why am I getting for Amber Alert for a child who is missing in another part of Tennessee?
All Tennessee Amber Alerts are issued statewide. Why? It can sometimes take hours between the time a child is abducted and the criteria is confirmed for an Amber Alert to be issued, which could give an abductor time to travel hundreds of miles, TBI said.
What is the criteria for issuing an Amber Alert?
Tennessee averages 500 to 600 missing children a month, many due to parental abductions or runaways, TBI says. The state averages eight to nine Amber Alerts a year.
In order to issue an Amber Alert, the following criteria must be met:
The person is 17 or younger
The child is in imminent danger of bodily injury or death
There is a description of the child, the abductor or vehicle
On a request from another state for activation, there must be a direct and identified connection to the state of Tennessee and that information is conveyed to TBI at the time of the request
Liz Kellar is a Tennessee Connect reporter. Email liz.kellar@knoxnews.com. Support strong local journalism by subscribing at knoxnews.com/subscribe.
This article originally appeared on Knoxville News Sentinel: What is a TBI Amber Alert? What does it mean and why was it issued?
