Njsacop Leap Model Policies s2

NJSACOP LEAP MODEL POLICIES EFFECTIVE DATE: GENERAL ORDER # 067 SUBJECT: AMBER ALERT PROCEDURES ISSUED BY: # OF PAGES: 16 DISTRIBUTION: REVIEW DATE: LAST REVISED: ACCREDITATION STANDARDS: 41.2.6 The written directives developed by the Police Department are for internal use only, and do not enlarge an officer’s civil or criminal liability in any way. They should not be construed as the creation of a higher standard of safety or care in an evidentiary sense, with respect to third party claims. Violations of written directives can only be the basis of a complaint by this department, and then only in an administrative disciplinary setting.

PURPOSE: To provide a system capable of mobilizing a rapid and comprehensive response to the most serious child abduction cases.

POLICY: The AMBER Plan is a voluntary, cooperative program between the law enforcement community and the broadcast media to send an emergency alert, called “AMBER Alert” to the public when a child has been abducted and it is believed the child’s life is in grave danger. National studies have shown that the first three hours are critical in a child abduction investigation. The AMBER Alert Plan will be immediately initiated when a member of this department is involved in a child abduction investigation that establishes or exceeds the minimum activation criteria for the AMBER Alert Plan as set forth in this written directive.

PROCEDURE:

I. Background

A. The ability of law enforcement to provide a simultaneous broadcast to a large volume of receivers in the law enforcement community, or select parts thereof, can enhance the coordination of investigative efforts in less time than previously possible. Likewise, utilizing media outlets for the timely dissemination of information concerning an abducted child and his or her abductor enables the community to become involved in the investigative efforts by empowering an extensive network of eyes and ears to assist in the mission of quickly and safely recovering the child.

B. The AMBER Alert Plan offers law enforcement a tremendous advantage in the investigation of serious child abduction cases. However, it is critically important that the plan is only utilized in conjunction with cases where the attendant circumstances meet or exceed the activation criteria. If the plan is overused, the public may lose interest and the effectiveness of the information being delivered can be substantially diminished.

II. Missing Child Alert System (MCAS)

A. The AMBER Alert Plan utilizes the Missing Child Alert System (hereinafter MCAS) to disseminate information provided by the investigating agency to the law enforcement community, electronic media, and governmental and private employers participating in the plan.

General Order # 067 – Amber Alert Procedures - Page 1 of 5 NJSACOP LEAP MODEL POLICIES B. The MCAS consists of a computer and installed components that enable members to quickly create Police Bulletins that can be electronically distributed, within minutes, to a large number of system users, e-mail addresses, or fax machines. 1. The MCAS is installed in the Investigative Bureau at police headquarters. The system was provided to every law enforcement agency in the State of New Jersey and utilizes the TRAK software program to operate. 2. The TRAK software system can be used to distribute Police Bulletins for any type of case investigation and authorized users are encouraged to maintain user proficiency with the system.

C. At a minimum, all investigative personnel and watch commanders will receive a course of instruction on the operation of the MCAS. In addition, there is an operational/training manual for the system that shall be stored in the immediate vicinity of the system to provide operators with a quick reference guide.

III. Activation Criteria for AMBER Alert Plan

A. In order to initiate activation of the AMBER Alert Plan the investigating officer must have a Standard reasonable belief that the following criteria have been met: 41.2.6.d 1. The child must be under 18 years of age; 2. The child must be in danger of serious bodily injury or death; 3. There must be enough descriptive information to believe an AMBER Alert will help locate the child; 4. There must have been a short enough delay between the time the child was last seen and the time the child was reported missing to believe an AMBER Alert will help locate the child.

B. Other considerations that must be weighed by the investigating officer are: 1. Age of child; 2. Possibility of parental or domestic involvement; 3. Is there sufficient information to indicate an AMBER Alert will help.

IV. Investigative Protocol

A. The circumstances and information readily available at the onset of an investigation can vary widely from case to case. It will often be incumbent upon the investigating officer to draw upon his training and experience to attempt to develop additional information that may or may not indicate that initiation of the AMBER Alert Plan is warranted.

B. All cases involving abducted/missing children shall be aggressively investigated and shall be considered the top investigative priority of the department until otherwise ordered by a member of the command staff. (See written directive V4C5 – Missing and Unidentified Persons) While this directive specifically addresses the use of the AMBER Alert Plan, officers are reminded that the immediate collection and dissemination of relevant information via police radio broadcasts shall always be the first and most important priority for officers investigating a bona fide missing/abducted child incident.

C. Any child abduction investigation requires a prompt notification to the staff duty officer. If the investigation results in initiation of the AMBER Alert Plan the deputy chief of police must also be notified.

D. In obvious cases where a non-parental abduction is witnessed, the immediate collection of relevant information is vital to facilitate a rapid dissemination of information via police radio, MCAS and NJLETS.

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E. In other cases the information available at the onset may be limited and not sufficient to warrant initiation of the AMBER Alert Plan. In some of these cases additional investigation may develop information that leads the investigating officer to believe that the case now fits the criteria for initiation of the AMBER Alert Plan, in which case the activation protocol listed in this directive shall be followed. 1. If the AMBER Alert Plan threshold is not met, the case must still be aggressively investigated and the investigating officer shall utilize the MCAS to distribute the available information to the selected receivers as deemed necessary. 2. This action will enable the investigating officer to disseminate the bulletin to a large number of selected receivers simultaneously. The major difference is that this case will not be a qualified AMBER Alert and thus there will be no involvement with the broadcast media. 3. In cases that do not qualify for the AMBER Alert Plan, the investigating officer shall utilize the “Standard Bulletin” template in the MCAS to disseminate the information.

F. To ensure that the information necessary for a complete AMBER Alert bulletin is obtained and presented to the officer transmitting the information via MCAS, a checklist entitled AMBER Alert Form has been developed and shall be carried by all personnel that may be involved in the investigation of child abduction cases.

V. AMBER Alert Activation Protocol

A. When an officer investigating an abduction involving a child believes that the criteria for an AMBER Alert has been met, the officer shall immediately communicate that belief to the watch commander who is responsible for ensuring that the relevant information is forwarded to the New Jersey State Police Operational Dispatch Unit via the MCAS at the earliest possible opportunity. 1. The watch commander shall direct an initial notification to the New Jersey State Police Operational Dispatch Unit (609) 882-2000 to provide an advanced telephonic notification that an AMBER Alert Bulletin will be forthcoming. This advanced warning is an important step in the process as it allows the NJSP Operational Dispatch Unit to contact the appropriate personnel within the Missing Persons Unit who will be responsible for evaluating the AMBER Alert Bulletin for authentication. 2. This advanced notification can expedite the transmission of an authenticated AMBER Alert by providing the NJSP Missing Persons Unit with the necessary lead time to assemble the personnel needed to evaluate and authenticate the AMBER Alert Bulletin. 3. The initial notification to the NJSP Operational Dispatch Unit shall include the name of the assigned investigator and a telephone number where immediate contact can be established in order to facilitate communications between the NJSP Missing Persons Unit and the assigned investigator at the earliest possible opportunity. DO NOT provide the telephone number for Central Dispatch, as the Missing Persons Unit personnel will need to establish direct contact with the assigned investigator in the field.

B. To transmit the AMBER Alert Bulletin via MCAS the following steps shall be taken: 1. From the TRAK Main Menu select “Create New Bulletin”; 2. Click the button labeled “Amber Bulletin”; 3. Select the appropriate template and fill in all of the relevant information;

4. Upon completion click the “Transmit” button. This will automatically transmit the completed bulletin to the New Jersey State Police Operational Dispatch Unit and the New Jersey State Police Missing Persons Unit; 5. The officer completing this action must follow up with a telephone call to the New Jersey State Police Operational Dispatch Unit at (609) 882-2000 ext. 6311 to ensure the transmission was properly received; 6. Direct Burlington County Central Communications to send an NJLETS message detailing the AMBER Alert information.

C. The AMBER Alert information will be processed and reviewed by the New Jersey State Police for authentication. Once authenticated, the New Jersey State Police Operational Dispatch Unit will follow their established protocol for distribution, broadcast and rebroadcast of the AMBER Alert information.

D. Notwithstanding the above, the watch commander must ensure that assigned personnel continue to pursue all available means of promptly disseminating information related to the abduction and shall not wait for AMBER Alert authentication from the New Jersey State Police. In this respect the AMBER Alert Plan is designed to augment preexisting notification techniques utilized in missing child investigations. Obviously this will result in some redundant notifications being made if and when authentication of the AMBER Alert is completed.

E. Personnel assigned to a missing child/child abduction case should be prepared to receive pressure from the family to activate the AMBER Alert Plan even if the threshold criteria has not been met. No matter how difficult, this pressure must be resisted and the decision to initiate activation must be based upon an objective evaluation of the activation criteria.

VI. Deactivation

A. Upon receiving and confirming information that an abducted child (for whom an AMBER Alert has been broadcast) has been located, the watch commander shall be responsible for ensuring that the New Jersey State Police Operational Dispatch Unit is immediately notified of such information and the need to cancel the AMBER Alert. 1. This notification shall be accomplished by sending a NJLETS message and following up with a telephone call to the New Jersey State Police Operational Dispatch Unit.

B. Following deactivation of the AMBER Alert Plan, a representative of the New Jersey State Police, the New Jersey Broadcasters Association and this department shall review the AMBER Alert activation.

VII. Interagency Investigative Assistance

A. The New Jersey State Police Missing Persons Unit will be notified and shall respond to assist the department in the investigation of any child abduction that results in the broadcast of an AMBER Alert. The NJSP Missing Persons Unit will also provide investigative assistance in any missing child/abduction case when requested by this agency.

B. As previously stated, lapsed time can be a critical element in the successful resolution of child abduction cases. Thus it is imperative that members of this agency respond to all internal and external requests for investigative assistance in connection with child abduction cases in an expedited manner. 1. If there are no investigative personnel on duty at the time of the request, the watch commander shall immediately assign patrol bureau personnel to complete the requested tasks. 2. When deemed appropriate and necessary by the watch commander, investigative bureau personnel shall be immediately recalled to duty to assist with requests for investigative assistance associated with child abduction cases.

VIII. Operational Considerations

A. When investigating a case that involves an abducted child and an AMBER Alert broadcast the personnel involved can reasonably expect an intense media involvement and a flurry of activity resulting from the media coverage and the AMBER Alert broadcast. Possibly the most important aspect of this phase of the investigation will be the collection and recording of information received via telephone in response to the AMBER Alert.

B. When completing the AMBER Alert Bulletin, the assigned officer shall be careful to list the telephone contact number for this department as (856) 983-1111. This will ensure that all telephone calls received shall be routed through Burlington County Central Communications and there will not be a time when the telephones are unmanned.

C. The officer in charge of the investigation shall select and assign personnel to constantly man telephones at police headquarters, for a predetermined period of time, for the purpose of receiving telephone calls that will be transferred from Burlington County Central Communications. 1. The assignment of personnel for this task shall be made based upon the personnel available for the assignment and may consist of any combination of on-duty and/or recalled personnel as necessary. 2. The officers so assigned shall maintain a supply of Investigative Lead Sheets that will be completed for each telephone call received that concerns the case under investigation. 3. Completed Investigative Lead Sheets shall be turned over to the officer in charge of the investigation to facilitate assignment for follow up.

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