History of Amber alert in Timeline

An AMBER Alert (America's Missing: Broadcast Emergency Response) is a public notification system designed to quickly disseminate information about child abductions. Originating in the United States, it enlists the help of the public in locating missing children. The alert system is activated when law enforcement confirms a child abduction has occurred and believes the child is in imminent danger. Broadcast through various media channels, including radio, television, road signs, and mobile devices, the alert includes details about the child, the suspected abductor, and any relevant vehicle information. The goal is rapid dissemination to maximize the chances of the child's safe recovery by generating immediate public awareness and vigilance.

November 25, 1986: Amber Hagerman's Birth

On November 25, 1986, Amber Rene Hagerman, the namesake of the Amber Alert system, was born.

1993: Polly Klaas Kidnapping and Murder

In 1993, Polly Klaas was kidnapped and murdered in Petaluma, California. Following Amber Hagerman's abduction, her father, Richard, contacted Marc Klaas, Polly's father, highlighting the impact of such tragedies on families and communities.

January 13, 1996: Amber Hagerman Abduction

On January 13, 1996, 9-year-old Amber Rene Hagerman was abducted in Arlington, Texas. This tragic event led to the creation of the Amber Alert system.

January 15, 1996: Amber Hagerman's Death

On January 15, 1996, Amber Rene Hagerman, who had been abducted while riding her bike in Arlington, Texas, was found murdered. Her younger brother had returned with his grandfather to find only her bicycle.

February 1996: NCMEC declines to be a part of the Amber alert program

In February 1996, the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children that had declined to be a part of the Amber alert program.

June 1996: Williams Testifies Before Congress

In June 1996, Donna Williams testified before the United States Congress, advocating for a nationwide registry of sex offenders. Representative Martin Frost proposed an "Amber Hagerman Child Protection Act," which included a section to create a national sex offender registry.

July 1996: Media Symposium and First Amber Alert Launch

In July 1996, at a media symposium in Arlington, Bruce Seybert spoke about police and media efforts to find missing children. C.J. Wheeler, a reporter from radio station KRLD, subsequently approached the Dallas police chief with Seybert's ideas, leading to the launch of the first Amber Alert.

1998: Child Alert Foundation Creates First Automated Alert Notification System

In 1998, the Child Alert Foundation created the first fully automated Alert Notification System (ANS) to notify surrounding communities when a child was reported missing or abducted. This system sent alerts to radio stations, television stations, law enforcement, newspapers, and local support organizations via pagers, faxes, emails, and cell phones, with the information immediately posted on the Internet for public access.

October 2000: House of Representatives Adopts H.Res.605

In October 2000, the United States House of Representatives adopted H.Res.605, encouraging communities nationwide to implement the Amber Plan.

October 2001: NCMEC Launches Campaign for Nationwide Amber Alert Systems

In October 2001, the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) launched a campaign to establish Amber Alert systems nationwide, reversing their initial reluctance to participate in the program from February 1996.

February 2002: FCC Officially Endorses Amber Alert System

In February 2002, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) officially endorsed the Amber Alert system.

July 24, 2002: California Establishes Amber Alert System

On July 24, 2002, California established an Amber Alert system after the kidnapping and murder of Samantha Runnion.

September 2002: 26 States Establish Amber Alert Systems

By September 2002, 26 states had established Amber Alert systems covering all or parts of the state.

October 2002: President Bush Announces Changes to Amber Alert System

At an October 2002 conference on missing, exploited, and runaway children, President George W. Bush announced changes to the Amber Alert system, including the development of a national standard for issuing Amber Alerts.

November 14, 2002: First System of its Kind Created in Sussex

On November 14, 2002, the first system of this kind in the UK was created in Sussex, paving the way for the national Child Rescue Alert.

November 2002: America Online Offers Digital Amber Alerts

Beginning in November 2002, America Online (AOL) introduced a service allowing users to sign up for digital Amber Alert notifications via computer, pager, or cell phone, targeting specific geographic regions based on ZIP Code.

December 2002: Alberta Launches First Province-Wide Amber Alert System in Canada

In December 2002, Alberta launched the first province-wide Amber Alert system in Canada, with the Alberta government committing over CA$1 million to expand its emergency warning system.

2002: NCMEC expands role in promoting Amber Alert

Following the automation of the Amber alert system with ANS technology created by the Child Alert Foundation, the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) expanded its role in 2002 to promote the Amber alert.

April 2003: Related Bill Becomes Law

In April 2003, a bill related to the Amber Alert system became law, further solidifying and supporting the nationwide implementation of the program.

May 26, 2003: AMBER Alert Introduced in Quebec

On May 26, 2003, the AMBER Alert program was introduced in Quebec, Canada, with the name adapted in French to Alerte Médiatique But Enfant Recherché, meaning "Media Alert Goal of Child Recovery."

May 2004: Saskatchewan Only Province without Amber Alert System

By May 2004, Saskatchewan was the only province in Canada that had not established an Amber Alert system, but within the next year, the program was in use throughout the country.

May 2005: Queensland Implements Amber Alert

In May 2005, the Australian state of Queensland implemented a version of the Amber Alert system.

2005: All Fifty States Have Operational Programs

By 2005, all fifty states in the United States had operational Amber Alert programs, allowing the program to operate across state and jurisdictional boundaries.

2005: Every Local Jurisdiction in England and Wales Had Its Own Form of Alert System

By 2005, every local jurisdiction in England and Wales had its own form of alert system.

February 2006: France Launches Alerte-Enlèvement

In February 2006, France's Justice ministry launched Alerte-Enlèvement (abduction alert), an apparatus based on the AMBER Alerts, with the cooperation of most media and railroad and motorway companies.

April 1, 2007: AMBER Alert System Active in North West England

On April 1, 2007, the AMBER Alert system became active in North West England, with plans for nationwide implementation.

2008: Launch of AMBER Alert Netherlands

AMBER Alert Netherlands was launched in 2008.

February 14, 2009: First Dutch AMBER Alert Issued

On February 14, 2009, the first Dutch AMBER alert was issued for a missing 4-year-old boy in Rotterdam, who was found safe after being recognized from an electronic billboard. The alert was halted before all recipients received it due to the quick recovery.

April 2009: Announcement of AMBER Alert System in Ireland

In April 2009, it was announced that an AMBER Alert system would be set up in Ireland, marking a significant step towards child protection.

May 25, 2010: Nationwide Launch of Child Rescue Alert in the UK

On May 25, 2010, the Child Rescue Alert, based on the AMBER Alert system, was launched nationwide in Britain.

2010: Child Abduction Response Teams (CART) Program

In 2010, the United States Department of Justice developed the Child Abduction Response Teams (CART) program to assist local agencies in missing children's cases, including runaways under 18 in danger, even if an Amber alert is not issued. By 2010, 225 response teams had been trained across 43 states, Washington, D.C., Puerto Rico, the Bahamas, and Canada.

April 28, 2011: Mexico Joins Amber Alert Efforts

On April 28, 2011, Mexico officially joined international efforts to spread the use of the Amber Alert system.

May 2012: Official Introduction of Child Rescue Ireland (CRI) Alert

In May 2012, the Child Rescue Ireland (CRI) Alert was officially introduced, enhancing child protection measures.

October 3, 2012: First Use of Child Rescue Alert in the UK

On October 3, 2012, the Child Rescue Alert system was first used in the UK regarding missing 5-year-old April Jones in Wales.

January 1, 2013: Amber Alerts Sent Through Wireless Emergency Alerts (WEA)

As of January 1, 2013, Amber Alerts are automatically sent through the Wireless Emergency Alerts (WEA) program, enhancing the speed and reach of the alerts.

2013: West Virginia Passes Skylar's Law

In 2013, West Virginia passed Skylar's Law to eliminate criterion #1 for triggering an Amber Alert, in an effort to address issues with parental abductions not meeting the original criteria.

April 2015: AMBER Alert Slovakia Available

In April 2015, the emergency child abduction alert system "AMBER Alert Slovakia" became available in Slovakia.

June 2017: Other Australian States Join Facebook's Amber Alert Program

In June 2017, other Australian states joined Queensland in participating in Facebook's Amber Alert program, enhancing the reach of alerts.

November 2017: New Zealand Police Launches Amber Alert System

In November 2017, the New Zealand Police launched their version of the Amber Alert system, integrating it with Facebook to display information about missing individuals in the news feeds of users in the target area.

2018: Alert Ready Introduces Mobile Alerts

In 2018, Alert Ready introduced Amber Alerts on supported mobile devices, using a distinct sound and onscreen information. The inability to deactivate these alerts, even in silent mode, has caused controversy in Canada.

September 2021: AMBER Alert Launched in Ukraine

On 22 September 2021, Ukraine's Ministry of Digital Transformation, the National Police of Ukraine and Facebook announced the launch of AMBER alert in Ukraine.

2021: Dutch Police Proposal to Merge Amber Alerts Blocked

In 2021, Dutch police authorities proposed merging Amber Alerts into the Burgernet system, but the initiative was blocked by Parliament. Dutch police continues to send Amber Alerts through Burgernet and its own social media.

October 25, 2023: Start of AMBER alert System in Serbia

The AMBER alert system, called "Pronađi me" (transl. Find me) started operating in Serbia on October 25, 2023.

2023: Value of CA$1 Million in 2002 Equivalent to $1.6 Million in 2023

In 2023, the equivalent value of CA$1 million in 2002 was $1.6 million, reflecting the investment made by the Alberta government to implement the Amber Alert system.

March 26, 2024: First Activation of Serbian AMBER alert System

The Serbian AMBER alert system, called "Pronađi me" (transl. Find me), was first activated on March 26, 2024 due to the disappearance of two-year-old girl, Danka Ilić, in Banjsko Polje in Bor.