Mail backs new missing child alert service
May 21 2007 By Jasbir Authi, Birmingham Mail
THE Birmingham Mail is today throwing its weight behind a new high speed emergency alert aimed at stopping child abductors in their tracks.
The Child Rescue Alert service is being launched by four major police forces today May 22 in a bid to get the public looking in the crucial hours after a child is snatched.
West Midlands Police, Staffordshire Police, West Mercia Constabulary and Warwickshire Police have all signed up to the scheme along with the major TV, radio, internet and newspaper channels.
Under the new scheme as soon as a child is taken, the Birmingham Mail and our www.birminghammail.net website will headline details about the child victim, offender, vehicle and location of abduction.
Local television and radio programmes will also be interrupted with news flashes and the public will be asked to call police on a special number with any possible sightings or information.
All four police forces will immediately liaise with other forces to stop the kidnapper fleeing anywhere else in the country.
Temporary Asst Chief Const Howard Topping, of West Mercia Constabulary, launched the regional scheme today in Worcester.
Mr Topping said: "The forces involved already have processes in place to deal with incidents of child abduction, which are thankfully rare.
"But the nationally agreed Child Rescue Alert formalises the way in which police will ask for the media's help to find a child as soon as possible."
He added: "The scheme is based on an agreement by the Mail's newspaper and internet service and other media to maximise publicity.
"The speed at which police forces respond is crucial and that is where the Mail's website could be so crucial because it can update news instantly."
"We hope the public will act as the eyes and ears for us in the community. We obviously hope we never have to use Child Rescue Alert but it's reassuring to know that it's available if we need it."
The new service is based on Amber Alert in the USA which was introduced in Texas in 1996 following the abduction and murder of nine year old Amber Hagerman.
An alert will only be issued in special and strict circumstances such as if the child is aged under 18 or considered a vulnerable minor and there is reason to believe the child has actually been abducted.
The alerts are also issued if is reason to believe the child is in imminent danger of serious harm or death and there is sufficient information available to enable the public to assist police in locating the child.
Alerts would not be issued for incidents that do not fulfil all these criteria for example, where a child is missing but there is no evidence of kidnap or abduction.
