The AMBER ALERT program is planned to officially kick off Wednesday, October 16th, 2002 at the Knoxville Police Department Safety City in Knoxville. Police Chief Phil E. Keith along with Mayor Victor Ashe will be on hand to celebrate the kick-off of the new East Tennessee Region Amber Alert Program along with members of the task force who have helped to put the plan together.
The AMBER Plan is a partnership with Law Enforcement and the media to immediately broadcast information on abducted children to the public. Utilization of the AMBER Plan is a great tool for law enforcement and has proven to have saved the lives of 26 children. However, it has been successful because it is used in accordance with mandated criteria and prior to activation, all details of a case are carefully scrutinized.
Some factors include: Confirming the abduction has occurred. The child must be 17 years of age or younger. A significant likelihood that the child is in grave danger of serious bodily injury or death. (Generally, runaways and non-custodial abductions, while extremely serious events, will not result in activation of the AMBER Plan.)
The system is expected to be up and running by the end of the year. The AMBER ALERT was created in Arlington Texas 1996, and named after 9-year-old Amber Hagerman, who was abducted in Arlington while riding her bicycle. She was later found murdered.
When the AMBER ALERT takes effect, radio stations and other media outlets will provide information about an abducted child and any suspect or vehicle descriptions that are available. Generally, the first three hours after an abduction are the most critical. “Usually if are going to find a child alive, it is during that time frame” stated Knoxville Police Chief Phil Keith. Recently Keith was in Washington D.C. to hear President Bush speak about the AMBER ALERT plan and the possibility of taking the plan nationwide. Part of making the program a success is having the Locator System. Darrell DeBusk spokesman for the Knoxville Police Department said, “The Locater System allows an agency to create posters and alert messages and get them to the media within 10 minutes. We have that system in place.”
To get the ball rolling the Tennessee Emergency Management Agency will work with officials to get the plan in place, informing an agency that would send out information to media outlets while also notifying TEMA. TEMA would then use the Emergency Alert System to notify the media that an alert has been made. All this would take effect within minutes. Minutes that could save a life. When complete the AMBER ALERT plan will include a central command station, website and toll free number (1-866-88 AMBER).
“Though we may never have to use it, it is important to have it in place if the need ever arises” Stated Keith.

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