Creation of AMBER Alert Child ID Kit is Underway
To improve response time and recovery rates of missing or abducted children, as well as expedite law enforcement’s access to information, plans are underway to create and distribute the first-ever AMBER Alert Child ID Kit.
The initiative is a joint effort between AMBERAlert.com (the AMBER Alert portal for state law enforcement efforts in the recovery of abducted children) and Kingston Technology Company, Inc., which is donating its DataTraveler USB (Universal Serial Bus) drives to equip the kits with the latest information technology. In addition, AMBERAlert.com is providing encrypted software and its mass notification platform, www.AmberAlert.com, to the effort.
The AMBER Alert Child ID Kits will hold critical information about a child so that in the event of an abduction, law enforcement can easily and quickly access identification and contact information for the child. The AMBER Alert Child ID Kit is the official Child ID Kit for AMBERAlert.com, and the kit will be offered free to parents, thanks to public-private partnerships between AMBERAlert.com and businesses that sponsor the project.
“When a child is abducted or goes missing, law enforcement has to act swiftly,” said Jeffrey Rassas, president and chief executive officer of Global Alerts, parent company of AMBERAlert.com. “In cases where abducted children are killed, 74 percent of those deaths take place within three hours of the abduction, so every minute counts in the recovery of a missing child. The emotional upheaval a parent faces when experiencing the horror of their child being abducted sometimes makes it difficult for them to focus on providing all the information law enforcement needs in order to quickly commence search and recovery efforts. Our AMBER Alert Child ID Kits are designed to make it easier for parents to have information about their children readily available so that law enforcement can access it quickly with one goal in mind–to return the missing child home safely to its family.”
The AMBER Alert Child ID Kit is comprised of a USB drive and encrypted identity software that launches immediately, once inserted into a PC. The encrypted AMBERAlert.com identity software guides the parent or legal guardian through a simple enrollment process. Users are prompted to enter essential information about their child, and law enforcement officers can then consult this information in the future, if the child becomes missing or abducted.
Entering information takes roughly two minutes per child. Details entered by the parent range from the child’s height, weight, and date of birth to eye color and hair color. A recent photograph and emergency contact information may also be included. The kit allows for additional information to be uploaded, such as school background, alternate guardian or friend contact information, or additional photographs.
Because the information is stored on a 512KB USB drive, parents are encouraged to update the data annually to ensure the most recent information about their child/children resides within the kit. Of prime importance, because the software on the USB drive is encrypted, the data entered by a parent is only accessible by law enforcement personnel.
Using the AMBER Alert portal in combination with the AMBER Alert Child ID kit, law enforcement may directly issue and update AMBER Alerts, which are then automatically communicated to anyone who has registered at AMBERAlert.com. To date, more than 135,000 concerned citizens across the United States have registered to receive local AMBER Alerts and corresponding updates.
The AMBER Alert Child ID Kit allows data for multiple children to be included, so only one USB drive per family is needed. AMBER Alert officials recommend placing the USB drive in a safe and easily accessible location, in case an emergency arises. The USB drives attach easily to a key chain, lanyard, wallet, or purse for convenient access.
For more information about the AMBER Alert network or to receive an AMBER Alert Child ID Kit, register at www.AmberAlert.com.
For more information about Kingston Technology Company, Inc., which designs, manufactures, and distributes memory products for desktops, laptops, servers, printers, and other computer-related technology, visit www.kingston.com.
Abstracted from Market Wire Newsletter (1/10/07); Source: Global Alerts.