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Taking Stock
I hope you all had a great Thanksgiving. I spent the day with
family, you probably did. I’m still haunted by how fragile they
are because I know firsthand what sort of monsters are out there looking
to prey on women and children. Now that my kids are grown (only my
son is still in high school), I breathe a little easier. But I still
worry about the girls, one of whom lives a little too far away from
us if you ask me. I guess it’s an occupational hazard.
Truly, I’m so grateful they’re all healthy and safe. I
know there are a lot of parents who can’t say that, and the
holidays are a rough time for them. My heart goes out to those for
whom the holidays are sad reminders of who isn’t there.
Amber Alert
One thing we can all be grateful for is the Amber Alert system.
It wasn’t around when my kids were growing up, of course, but
it makes so much sense it seems unbelievable to me that no one thought
of or implemented it sooner.
An article in my Chief of Police magazine a couple of months
ago featured the system, and answered a lot of questions I had about
how it works and how widespread it was. I figured some of you probably
had questions, so I thought I could address the facts here and get
the word out for this great program. The key to its success, after
all, is public awareness and involvement.
Today, AMBER officially stands for America’s Missing: Broadcast
Emergency Response, but it also pays tribute to Amber Hagerman, the
9-year-old Texas child who was kidnapped while riding her bike and
then brutally murdered. The project started in Texas, and was named
for Amber. In the wake of her death, residents in and around Dallas
began to try to come up with ways to get the word out faster when
a child was abducted, since each minute that goes by lessens the chances
that a child will be found alive. Citizens suggested media outlets
in Dallas and Forth Worth should broadcast special bulletins, or alerts,
when children were abducted so the community could become involved
sooner. People at home, at work, at restaurants, in their cars—anywhere
radio could reach them—would get vital information about the
missing child and suspected abductor. This would, in effect, create
an area-wide search party in a fraction of the time it would take
to mobilize a search party from a central point. And people wouldn’t
have to stop what they were doing to get the information. It would
come to them and just by being on the lookout they would greatly reduce
the chances the abductor could quietly slip out of town, into his
neighborhood, or into a secluded area without being spotted.
The system was initiated by the Dallas/ Forth Worth Association of
Radio Managers, and soon spread to other localities. Since 2001, the
National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) conducts
the program nationally, helping communities and law enforcement set
up systems where they are. While there aren’t Amber Alert systems
in every city across the nation, it’s getting more widespread.
The NCMEC reports there are systems in 29 states—77 programs
in all. Many are local or regional, and some states, including California,
Georgia, and Virginia, have statewide programs. Often these programs
are named for local child victims.
The NCMEC goes on to report that 40 children have been saved by the
Amber Alert system. I say that’s not a bad record. And I know
those 40 sets of parents and untold family, friends, and neighbors
are very grateful for the public’s help.
How
it Works
First of all, if your child is missing, call the police.
There is no “Amber Alert number” for you to call to report
a missing child—The Amber Alert systems are run by law enforcement,
and they need to know right away that your child is missing. They
will take it from there.
All Amber Alert programs are voluntary, and not all missing children’s
cases are broadcast. The criteria vary from system to system, but
the basics are whether law enforcement can confirm that a child has
been abducted, whether the circumstances suggest the child is in danger
of serious harm or murder, and whether there is enough information
and descriptive detail about the child and the abductor to broadcast.
If a case meets the criteria, such details as the name and description
(including clothing and jewelry if known) of the child and suspect,
descriptions of the abductor’s vehicle, and so on is gathered
and faxed to radio stations who are designated to receive the information
first. They, in turn, forward the information to other media, like
TV and cable systems, through the Emergency Alert System. The facts
are immediately broadcast to the public, either by a radio announcement
or one of those tickers on the bottom of the TV screen.
Some areas are also using highway traffic signs to send out alerts,
a great idea in my opinion since that means people who are already
on the move can watch out for the child. In cases where an abductor
is heading for a state line, for example, this is extremely useful.
If you want to find out about or establish an alert in your area,
visit the NCMEC website at www.missingkids.com
for information and assistance, or call them at 1-800-THE LOST. As
I’ve said before, this is a fantastic and important organization,
and they could use your involvement and, if possible, your contributions.
Some Bad News
Well, I’ll give you the good news first: From 2000 - 2001, violent
crime in this country declined by 10%, according to the National Crime
Victimization Survey, the second largest ongoing household survey
in the U.S. In addition, property crimes declined between 2000 and
2001 by about 6%.
But we seem to be backsliding (and this is the bad news). The final
data from the FBI’s Uniform Crime Reporting (UCR) Program’s
Crime in the United States 2001, released on October 28 of
this year, reflect trends from 2000 to 2001. For a complete listing,
go to www.fbi.gov.
Some interesting numbers:
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Violent crime rose 0.8%—with
a marked increase of 2.5% in murders
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Property crime rose 2.3%—including
a 5.7% increase in car thefts
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Crime Index offenses (including murder, rape,
robbery, aggravated assault, burglary, larceny-theft, and motor
vehicle theft) were up 2.1% over 2000
Tips for Holiday Safety
We all know most crime trends reflect trends in the economy.
But we can’t control that as individuals. All we can do
is stay alert and stay safe, which I hope you all try to do.
This is a high-crime time of year, with all of us spending way
too much time at shopping centers and superstores—favorite
lurking grounds for predators. Just the other day, I read that
a North Carolina boy was molested in a superstore restroom. They
caught the guy who did it, but I assure you he’s not the
only one looking in public restrooms for victims.
The best practice is to use your good judgment. But here are a
few tips:
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If possible, go with your child to the restroom,
or wait right outside and make an audible point of being right
outside as he or she enters.
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Don’t leave your kids in the car unattended,
even for a few minutes.
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Resist the temptation to park them in the
kids’ department or the videogame section while you shop.
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If you have one, make sure your cell phone
is with you at all times and fully charged. The same goes for
your kids.
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Women, if you’re shopping alone, make
sure someone knows where you’ve gone and when you expect
to be home, and check in.
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Try to shop earlier in the day so you’re
not crossing semi-lit parking lots at night.
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As always, trust your instincts.
If someone seems suspicious to you, stay clear of them and get
to someplace safe. Don’t be shy about alerting security.
Have a safe and happy holiday season. I hope to get another piece
finished soon and up on the site, and look forward to hearing from
you on my message board. |
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