TBO.com - TBO is Tampa Bay Online

Amber Alert program is making a difference

Staff photo by MICHAEL SPOONEYBARGER

Since 1998, nearly 500 children have been recovered as a direct result of the program, said Phil Keith, training and technical assistance director for the national Amber Alert Program.

ADVERTISEMENT

By JOSH POLTILOVE | The Tampa Tribune

Published: October 27, 2009

TAMPA - Nearly all Amber Alert cases result in the child's safe return, an official with the national program said today.

Not including hoaxes, roughly 96 percent of cases bring the safe recovery of missing, endangered and abducted children. Since 1998, nearly 500 children have been recovered as a direct result of the program, said Phil Keith, training and technical assistance director for the national Amber Alert Program.

Keith spoke to about 400 people as part of the 2009 National Amber Alert Symposium in Tampa. Attendees included law enforcement officers and family members of abductees.

"At the end of the day, we are making a difference," he said.

Amber Alert is designed to coordinate the efforts of law enforcement, transportation officials and the media. The system began in 1996 after the kidnapping and slaying of 9-year-old Amber Hagerman in Arlington, Texas. All 50 states and the District of Columbia have adopted Amber Alert programs.

In the past three years, Keith said, there have been more than 50 Amber Alert cases in which the abductor heard about the alert and abandoned the child.

At 7:30 p.m. tonight, there will be a vigil for Somer Thompson and Elizabeth Olten at the Franklin Street pedestrian mall in downtown Tampa, Keith said.

Somer, 7, of Orange Park, was found slain last week at a Georgia landfill.

Elizabeth, 9, was found dead in Missouri woods last week, two days after she went missing.

Keith expects many symposium attendees to attend the vigil, including relatives of past abductees.

Go to www.amberalert.gov for information about the Amber Alert Program.

Reporter Josh Poltilove can be reached at (813) 259-7691.

Share this:

Loading Comments...

Email Print

ADVERTISEMENT