AMBER ALERT Information about the system

• There is reasonable belief by law enforcement an abduction has occurred
  

• The abduction is of a child age 17 years or younger
  

• The law-enforcement agency believes the child is in imminent danger
  of serious bodily injury or death
  

• There is enough descriptive information about the victim and abduction
  for law enforcement to issue an AMBER Alert to assist in the recovery
  of the child
  

• The child’s name and other critical data elements, including
  the Child Abduction flag, have been entered into the National Crime
  Information Center (NCIC) computer
  

If these criteria are met, alert information is assembled for public
distribution. This information may include descriptions and pictures of
the missing child, the suspected abductor, and a suspected vehicle along
with any other information available and valuable to identifying the child
and suspect.

AMBER Alert Criteria

There is reasonable belief by law enforcement that a child has been abducted or has disappeared under suspicious circumstances.

The missing child is age 17 years or younger, or has a proven mental or physical disability.

The law enforcement agency believes the child is in imminent danger of serious bodily injury or death.

There is enough descriptive information about the victim and abduction for law enforcement to issue an AMBER Alert to assist in the recovery of the child.

The child's name and other critical data elements, including the Child Abduction flag, have been entered into the National Crime Information Center (NCIC) computer.

In Montana, there is a supplemental program for use when cases don't meet the AMBER Alert criteria. It's called a Missing and Endangered Persons Advisory, and doesn't have quite the same immediacy

Missing and Endangered Persons Advisory - MEPA Criteria

Do the circumstances fail to meet the criteria for an AMBER Alert? (If they do meet the criteria, immediately follow the AMBER Alert protocol.)

Is the person missing under unexplained, involuntary or suspicious circumstances?

Is the person believed to be in danger because of age, health, mental or physical disability, or environmental or weather conditions; to be in the company of a potentially dangerous person; or is there some other factor that may put the person in peril?

Is there information that could assist the public in the safe recovery of the missing person?

The initial advisory will include any available information, like name, age, physical description, date of birth and where the person was last seen. It might also include information about whether the person has a health condition or physical or mental disability.



http://www.krtv.com/news/missing-endangered-person-alert-issued-for-browning-child/