Paul Murphy, Utah Attorney General's Office, 801-538-1892
Administrating Agency:
Utah Broadcasters Association, Office of the Attorney General.
Participating Agencies and Organizations:
Utah Chiefs of Police
Association, Utah Sheriff's Association, Utah Attorney General, Utah
Broadcasters Association and local law enforcement.
Steps for Activation:
Utah Attorney General's Office, Utah Broadcasters Association, Utah Chiefs of Police Association, Utah Sheriff's Association, Department of Public Safety, Department of Transportation, Utah Trucking Association and local law enforcement agencies
Steps for Activation: Local law enforcement officers prepare "Rachael Alert" form and forward it to the Utah Department of Public Safety, Salt Lake Communications Center. The alert will go out on radio and TV stations through the Emergency Alert System; electronic highway signs; highway advisory radio transmitters; a flyer distribution system that sends out 9,000 information and photos to law enforcement agencies, courts, media, ports of entry and national missing person clearinghouses; the Utah Trucking Association notifies all agents in the field; and subscribing customers can receive the alerts on their pages and computers through America Online or Commuterlink.
Scope of Amber Alert:
Statewide.
Criteria for Activation:
The child is believed to have been kidnapped; the child is 17 years of age or younger or an individual with a proven mental or physical disability; there is reason to believe the victim is in imminent danger or serious bodily injury or death; there is information to send to the public which could assist in the safe recovery of the victim or apprehension of a suspect. The alert is not to be used for cases involving custodial disputes or runaways.
Utilizes Emergency Alert System:
Yes.
Reporting Phone Number:
Number provided by investigating law enforcement agency or 911
Success Story:
The Rachael Alert led to the safe recovery of three-month-old Tyler Triplett on January 29, 2003. Utah's statewide alert system was launched on April 2, 2002. The first Rachael Alert went out on June 2, 2002 after Elizabeth Smart was kidnapped from her home on June 2, 2002. The publicity from that case prompted other states to set up a statewide child abduction alert plan.
