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Florida Department Of Law Enforcement Pushes For AMBER Alert Awareness

Florida Department of Law Enforcement

The Florida Department of Law Enforcement is encouraging citizens to sign up for AMBER Alerts.  The push comes in connection with National Amber Alert Awareness Day.

The AMBER Alert system was established in 1996 after nine year old Amber Hagerman was abducted and brutally murdered in Arlington, Texas.  Florida adopted the AMBER Alert program in 2000.  Special Agent Supervisor Carol Frederick with the Florida Department of Law Enforcement said when an AMBER Alert is sent out, every pair of eyes helps.

“We have folks that are on the road, we have people who have signed up for alerts, people watching television or listening to radio will hear about the broadcast, and as many eyes as possible really allows us to take a good approach to recovering the child efficiently and quickly,” Frederick said.

Frederick urges Floridians to join the more than 20 thousand citizens who have already signed up for email and mobile AMBER alerts at missingchildrenalert.com.  The Department is also stressing the importance of social media websites such as Facebook to extend the reach of their alerts.  Last year Florida sounded nine AMBER alerts, and all nine children were recovered.