Governor announces creation of new abduction alert system

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- Gov. Bob Holden signed an executive order Monday creating a statewide system to alert the public when a child is abducted or during other statewide emergencies.

The Alert Missouri system consists of five state agencies, private groups, media organizations and local law enforcement.

Similar systems already exist in the Kansas City, St. Louis and Springfield areas.

"The goal is not to reinvent the wheel but to plug state agencies into a system that will allow the expansion of these important safety programs statewide," Holden said.

Holden said the alert system shouldn't bring any additional cost to the state because much of the technology already exists. Holden's order also creates an oversight committee to evaluate the system.

The alerts, sometimes referred to as Amber Alerts, dispatch descriptions and other details about missing children. In a typical system, the information is then carried on radio and TV stations.

The program originated in Arlington, Texas, after the 1996 abduction, sexual assault and murder of 9-year-old Amber Hagerman.

Convinced the girl could have been saved if her kidnapping had been instantly publicized, residents persuaded a radio station to start the system.

Of abducted children who are killed nationwide, nearly three-fourths die in the first three hours of their abduction, according to the U.S. Department of Justice.

Unlike some local alert systems, there will be no age limit for use of the statewide system in abduction cases.

"We know that immediate information is the key to returning children safely to their homes," Holden said. "We want to expand notification as far as possible and as quickly as possible as soon as a child is reported missing."

Holden said the system will be coordinated through the state Highway Patrol and could be used for other statewide emergencies where distribution of information to the public is essential.

"We want a system that will help protect everyone," he said.

Charles Jackson, director of the state Department of Public Safety, said utility companies and some retail organizations have agreed to use their resources to release critical information to the public during an abduction. The state Department of Transportation's electronic road signs also could be used to display emergency messages.

Before releasing an abduction alert, officials would weigh whether the person is at risk of injury or death and whether releasing information to the public could help locate an abducted person.

Jackson said officials are going to be careful before releasing information. In the Washington area sniper shootings, authorities had released information about a white van as a possible suspect vehicle. But the suspects were found in a blue car.

"We require that they verify the information before they forward it to us and make sure that the information is accurate to the best of their ability," Jackson said. "We hope it will eliminate situations," like the one in Washington.

Before Holden's announcement, several lawmakers had said they planned to sponsor abduction alert legislation during the 2003 session. A House committee also had held meetings on the issue.

Holden said that while he welcomes legislative initiatives, he believes his order is sufficient to deal with the issue.

"We need this program now and it appears to be a system that can operate without additional legislation," Holden said. "I hope we will never have to use the system."

State Sen. Chuck Gross, who has proposed Amber Alert legislation, said the executive order is a positive first step.

"It sounds like he did a pretty good job with the executive order, but I think that's a temporary measure," said Gross, R-St. Charles. "I think we still need to go ahead with legislation to put it in place permanently."

Gross said the executive order is similar to his proposal but that lawmakers should be allowed to weigh in on the issue.

"A governor's executive order is the opinion of one person, legislation is the opinion of 197, and I think that process needs to continue," Gross said.

Holden also was scheduled to discuss the alert system Monday in Springfield and Kansas City.

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On the Net

Gov. Bob Holden: http://www.gov.state.mo.us