Annual Report 2014

amberalert.eu The European Child Rescue Alert AMBER Alert Europe Rondpoint Robert Schuman 9 1040 Brussels Belgium

Phone: +32 2 808 2159 Fax: +32 2 808 216 Email: [email protected] Website: www.amberalert.eu

AMBER Alert Europe is registered in the EU Transparency register: 488692317424-44 and is recognized by the Dutch government as foundation with charitable status (“ANBI”) RSIN: 852414183 Table of contents

1. AMBER Alert Europe 5 4 Facilitating and advising countries, 27 members and partners 1.1 About Us 6 4.1 AMBER Alert Europe Police Expert 28 1.2 Membership and Structure 6 Group 1.3 Ultimate Goal 7 4.2 Improve cross border police 29 1.4 Background 7 cooperation 4.2.1 Sharing information 29 1.5 Members AMBER Alert Europe 9 4.2.2 Pilot projects in Euregions 29 1.5.1 New Members 9 1.5.2 All Members 10 4.3 Training & technological innovation 30 1.5.3 Support 100+ Members 13 4.3.1 Sharing best practices 30 of the European Parliament 4.3.2 Providing police expert training 30 regarding child alerting and 1.6 AMBER Alert Europe Board 14 endangered missing children 1.7 Highlights 2014 15 4.3.3 Managing the development of 30 technology modules 4.3.4 Researching the topic of 31 2. Information Sharing 17 endangered missing children

2.1 Definitions 18 4.4 AMBER Alert systems in other countries 31

2.2 AMBER Alerts in 2014 19 4.4.1 Slovakia 31 4.4.2 Poland 32 2.3 Endangered missing children in 2014 19 4.4.3 Other countries 32

3 Expert Conferences and Events 21 5. Media list and how it looks 33 3.1 Police Expert meeting in Hamburg – 22 February 2014 Annex 1: Notarial Statement 3.2 European Parliament – September 2014 23 Annex 2: Financial Report 2014 3.3 Expert Conference at the European 23 Parliament in Brussels – October 2014

3.4 Presenting AMBER Alert Europe at 26 other conferences and events

01

AMBER Alert Europe Dedicated to the protection of endangered missing children, AMBER Alert Europe provides for training and cross-border coordination to law enforcement. AMBER Alert Europe connects citizens with law enforcement when the police believe the public can help find the child. 1.1 1.2 About Us Membership and

Dedicated to the protection of endangered Structure missing children, AMBER Alert Europe provides AMBER Alert EU is backed by police missing for training and cross-border coordination to children experts, NGOs, law enforcement and law enforcement. AMBER Alert Europe connects 145+ Members of the European Parliament. It has citizens with law enforcement when the police 18 members in 13 countries, 4 of which are law believe the public can help find the child. AMBER enforcement organizatons. Alert Europe provides support in an advisory and knowledge-sharing role to its members Members include police organizations, ministries and partners, who, together with the network of and NGOs (with police mandate on the topic) connected citizens, are on the lookout when a from the UK, Germany, the Netherlands, Poland, child goes missing across Europe. Czech Republic, Romania, Slovak Republic and Greece. Its police expert group exists of over 20 AMBER Alert Europe is an international people from 8 EU countries and is coordinated not for profit-organization. by Charlie Hedges, renowned UK specialist in the It is the biggest European citizen initiative with field of missing children. 3 million participants across the European Union.

AMBER Alert Europe is working closely with AMBER Alert Europe is a organizations that issue or re-broadcast the crowdsourced organization. Canadian and US AMBER Alert as well as with It receives donations in the form of government organizations active in this field in Russia and grants, monies as well as in the form of services Belarus. (IT, communication) from companies and individuals that, in the context of their Corporate AMBER Alert Europe’s Board and Advisory Board Social Responsibility (CSR) and/or their personal are composed of a selection of experts from law engagement, are eager to contribute to the enforcement, academia, civil service as well as protection of endangered missing children. civil society. (Advisory) Board membership is an honorary position; (Advisory) Board members Key sponsors include: Netpresenter, Sentia, QNH, do not receive a salary. Its operational team is Axon, Microsoft, Sanoma, Widgets, Google and composed of people that are serviced by its Bureau Brussels. These sponsors provide for: office sponsors, as well as volunteers. space, manpower, software and other operational facilities.

6 1.3 1.4 Ultimate Goal Background

AMBER Alert Europe’s ultimate goal is to improve When a child is abducted in one EU member state, the protection of endangered missing children in we need to make sure everyone is on the lookout Europe. This is achieved by providing training and – citizens, press, police and border guards. In cross border coordination to law enforcement the country the child went missing in, but also and connecting citizens with law enforcement to on the other side of the border. Instantly. That is aid in the search for missing children. what AMBER Alert Europe is trying to achieve. One of the initial goals of AMBER Alert Europe is AMBER Alert Europe works with police to share knowledge and best practices on child organizations and NGO’s active in the field of alerting systems with all parties involved. AMBER endangered missing children in order to establish Alert Europe does this by sharing information AMBER Alerts in all EU member states. on child alerts and urgent missing children, organizing expert conferences, facilitating and Interconnection of these systems is key in order advising countries and partners and presenting to allow easy cross-border alerting when a child the initiative at several conferences and events. goes missing near a national or language border. Everyone should profit from open borders. The goals of AMBER Alert Europe: Just not child abductors 1. Save the lives of missing and abducted children Madeleine McCann (UK, missing in Portugal), by engaging and informing the public when a Mirco Schlitter (Germany) and Livia and Alessia child goes missing. Schepp (Switzerland) – missing children cases that clearly demonstrate the need for better 2. Create, link and strengthen existing child alert police cooperation and an AMBER alert system in initiatives (also called AMBER Alerts). every EU member state – providing police with the means to instantly alert all when they feel the 3. Allow easy cross-border alerting when a child life or health of a missing child is at serious risk, for goes missing near a (national or language) border. example when it is abducted. Because no matter how well the police search is organized inside an EU member state - the border is always near, and so very easy to cross. The biggest Once an abducted child crosses the border, European the search often comes to a halt, sometimes completely. For example, in the case of a young German boy, who was abducted just kilometers citizen sourcing away from the border, the National Missing Persons Bureau of the Dutch police were never community even informed.

7 AMBER Alert systems in Europe

Source: http://ec.europa.eu/justice/fundamental-rights/rights-child/alert-mechanism/index_en.htm

Child alert used at least once Countries without a child alert system Other countries which have a child alert system according to the EU

Strong European support 28 EU countries. Only 7 AMBER Alert Europe currently is the biggest active AMBER Alert systems citizen sourcing community in the EU with 3 Despite the 2008 guidelines and several grants million people registered. Members include from the European Commission, in 2014, only 12 police organizations, ministries and NGOs EU member states have a child alerting system2, (with police mandate on the topic) from the only 7 of these are active (police operated child UK, Germany, the Netherlands, Poland, Czech alerting systems that have been used at least Republic, Romania, Slovak Republic and Greece. once). Working closely with organizations that issue or re-broadcast the Canadian and US AMBER Alert and with the organizations active in this field in Russia and Belarus1.

1 For a complete overview of all AMBER Alert Europe Members, please see: www.amberalert.eu/members.aspx 2 Child Alert Mechanism, European Commission DG Justice, http://ec.europa.eu/justice/fundamental-rights/rights-child/alert-mechanism/index_en.htm

8 Citizen sourcing & privacy Improving the democratic AMBER Alert Europe uses citizen sourcing to legitimacy of the EU provide relevant authorities (this can be police The goals of the initiative are publicly supported or ministry) in the EU member states with by 100+ Members of the European Parliament technology that can be used to create or improve from all EU member states and of all different the child alerting, working with organizations political groups. Even the most Euro-sceptic ones, such as Google, Facebook, Groupcall, Sentia, due to the non-controversial topic. This provides MessageBird and Missing Children Society of the ultimate proof of the democratic legitimacy Canada who see it as a Social Responsibility (CSR) of the EU, and a great case to restore European they are eager to contribute too. citizens’ confidence and tackle rising discontent with the European Union and its institutions In improving the reach and effect of the AMBER - one of the key tasks of the new European Alert, a key concern is privacy. Once a child Commission as defined by Mr Juncker in his has been found, personal information on the Opening Statement4. child such as name and photo should not linger on the internet. That is why, in working with IT innovators, focus is on development of technology that allows for the complete removal of all information on the missing child once it has 1.5 been found (also called privacy-neutral tools). Hence, problems that may have occurred in the Members AMBER Alert past with the use of for example social media are avoided. Most of the new technology is piloted in Europe the Dutch AMBER Alert system. The foundation is AMBER Alert Europe believes European and currently working with the Slovak police to create transnational cooperation is needed to cope with a national AMBER Alert provided by AMBER Alert the growing cross border nature of the problem of st Europe launched on March 31 2015. The Polish missing children. We encourage all organizations police are working with us to further improve the active in the field of child alerting to join us. Polish Child Alert3.

In addition, AMBER Alert Europe is highly 1.5.1 New Members committed to ensuring that missing children In 2014 we added the following organizations to information is only published after a privacy our Member list: check has been made by the relevant police or ministry experts. To ensure no time is lost, a solid ITAKA – Centre for Missing People, Poland working structure should be put in place. After all, January 17, 2014 especially in the ‘life or death’ cases, every minute counts. Ponimanie, Belarus January 17, 2014

3 ‘Poland, Slovak Republic and the Netherlands to use the same AMBER Alert system’, 15 October 2014, http://www.amberalert.eu/News.aspx?newsid=60 4 ‘A New Start for Europe: My Agenda for Jobs, Growth, Fairness and Democratic Change’, Jean-Claude Juncker, 15 July 2014, http://ec.europa.eu/about/juncker- commission/docs/pg_en.pdf

9 ROCIT, Russia Save the Children Romania January 17, 2014 October 7, 2014

Omnibus, Greece Groupcall Limited July 17, 2014 November 11, 2014

Unicef Slovakia APCD, Portugal September 9, 2014 November 11, 2014

Missing Persons Center KGP, National Police, Missing Children Society of Canada Poland November 28, 2014 September 9, 2014

1.5.2 All Members

Currently, the following organizations are part of the AMBER Alert Europe platform:

Child Exploitation and Online Missing People, UK missing Dutch Missing Persons Protection Centre (CEOP), part people charity, working with Bureau, part of the Dutch of UK policing (UK) CEOP on the UK Child Rescue National Police (Netherlands) Alert (UK)

AMBER Alert Netherlands, Missing Persons Centre KGP, ITAKA, Centre for Missing working with the Dutch National Police, managing the People, working with the police on the Dutch AMBER Polish Child Alert (Poland) Polish police regarding the Alert (Netherlands) Child Alert (Poland)

10 National Coordination Child Helpline at Slovak Initiative Vermisste Kinder, Mechanism of the Search for Committee for UNICEF, working closely with the Missing Children (NKMPPD), working with the Slovak German police (Germany) part of the Ministry of the Police to create a Slovak Child Interior (Czech Republic) Alert (Slovak Republic)

Salvati Copiii (Save the Associação Portuguesa de Omnibus, the Hellenic Centre Children Romania), Romanian Crianças Desaparecidas for Research & Action for children’s rights NGO (APCD), Portuguese missing Missing Persons, scientific (Romania) children association (Portugal) NGO (Greece)

International Centre for Ponimanie, Belarus NGO ROCIT, providing technologies Missing & Exploited Children focused on child protection to bring Russian missing (ICMEC), working closely with (Belarus) children home (Russia) the US AMBER Alert program (US)

RijnmondVeilig, the crisis Groupcall have been selected Missing Children Society of alert platform of the to provide the automatic Canada, the only national not- Dutch regional authority distribution system for the for-profit organization that of Rotterdam-Rijnmond Child Rescue Alert in the UK actively searches for missing (Netherlands) and abducted children in Canada

11 @AmberAlertEU @Amber_Alert @AmberAlert great initiative to raise awareness & help save lives of missing children Marian Harkin - Member of the European Parliament (ALDE)

Showing my support for @amberalertEU, who are working to set up a pan-European alert system for missing children Catherine Bearder – Member of the European Parliament (ALDE/ Liberal Democrates, United Kingdom)

Help save Europe's endangered missing children with @ AmberAlertEU #SaveAbductedChildren Emma McClarkin – Member of European Parliament (ECR/ Conservative Party, United Kingdom)

Pleasure to sign the petition for @AmberAlertEU campaign to help save Europe's Endangered Missing Children. Ian Duncan – Member of European Parliament (ECR/ Conservative Party. United Kingdom)

I support the call for a pan-European network of child alert systems and signed @AmberAlertEU petition @EuroLabour Theresa Griffin – Member of European Parliament (S&D/ Labour Party, United Kingdom)

12 1.5.3 Support 100+ Members of the European Parliament

Over 100 Members of the European Parliament Child Alerting Memorandum to the EU publicly support the goals of AMBER Alert Since the new European Commission and Europe - from all EU member states and from Parliament have started working in 2014, AMBER all different political groups. Even the most Alert Europe brought their Child Alerting Euro-sceptic groups are in favor due to the non- Memorandum to the EU under their attention. controversial topic. This is also the ultimate proof This memorandum contains recommendations of the democratic legitimacy of the EU. A great on an effective pan-European approach of the case to restore European citizens’ confidence and cross border problem of endangered missing tackle rising discontent with the European Union children and child abductions. The memorandum and its institutions - one of the key tasks of the will continuously be updated. new European Commission as defined by Mr. Juncker in his Opening Statement5. Please visit Support Dutch Liberal Democrats www.amberalert.eu/Members.aspx for a full Europe needs a European AMBER Alert to save overview of MEPs that support AMBER Alert more missing children. This was stated by Sophie Europe. in 't Veld, Member of the European Parliament, during a European election debate at Maastricht, Petition the Netherlands. In 't Veld is a Dutch Candidate The 100+ Members of the European Parliament Member of the European Parliament for the have signed a petition with which they publicly Group of the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats back AMBER Alert Europe’s call for improving the for Europe (ALDE) for the Dutch Democrats 66. protection of endangered missing children.

5 ‘A New Start for Europe: My Agenda for Jobs, Growth, Fairness and Democratic Change’, Jean-Claude Juncker, 15 July 2014, http://ec.europa.eu/about/juncker- commission/docs/pg_en.pdf

13 1.6 AMBER Alert Europe Board

AMBER Alert Europe consults its Board Members on regularly basis. They are actively involved in realizing the goals and mission of the organization. In 2014 the Board of AMBER Alert Europe was composed of:

Board of Directors

Frank Hoen (The Netherlands) Henk Jansen (The Netherlands) AMBER Alert Europe & AMBER Alert Independent Security and Netherlands Investigations Professional

Advisory Board

Caroline Humer (USA) Carole Bird (Canada) International Centre for Missing & Royal Canadian Mounted Police Exploited Children

Rinus van Schendelen (The Jo Youle (UK) Netherlands) Missing People Erasmus University Rotterdam

Maurice Lenferink Charlie Hedges (UK) Safety Region Rotterdam-Rijnmond Manager Missing and Abducted Children Department, CEOP

Coming up In 2015, new Members of the Board of Directors and the Advisory Board will be presented. Also, Mr. Charlie Hedges will leave the AMBER Alert Europe Advisory Board in 2015, because he will start at AMBER Alert Europe as European Alert Coordinator.

14 2014 Highlights AMBER Alert Europe

25 AMBER Alerts 6400+ likes on Facebook 1300+ followers on Twitter issued in Europe

17 Police Experts from 8 different countries immediately joined the 100+ MEPs publicly Police Expert Group back AMBER Alert Europe

MEP Kay Swinburne hosted AMBER Alert Europe's information booth in the European Parliament 20 delegates from Germany, Czech Republic and the Netherlands, attended the Police Expert Event in Hamburg

Together with MEP Sophie in ‘t Veld, AMBER Alert Europe hosted the ‘Child 10 new Member Alerting in the EU’ conference in the Organizations European Parliament

Representatives from over 20 countries attended the 24 presentations given conference ‘Child Alerting at the ‘Child Alerting in in the EU’ in Brussels the EU’ conference

More than 3 million registered 1739 endangered missing members in the EU children displayed on our website

02

Information Sharing AMBER Alert Europe shares information on child alerts and urgent missing children with their partner organizations. To inform European citizens about missing children in their country an always up-to- date overview of all endangered missing children in the EU is published on www.amberalert.eu. 2.1 Definitions

The AMBER Alert Europe website displays a - AMBER Alert Europe only displays endangered Google map with all endangered missing children missing children. The criteria for endangered and active AMBER Alerts in Europe. missing children are nationally assessed by mandated entities. If a mandated entity qualifies Criteria for an AMBER Alert a missing child as endangered, the child will be The decision to issue an AMBER Alert lies with displayed on AMBER Alert Europe; the police of an EU member state. Most member states use the following criteria*: - AMBER Alert Europe only displays missing children under 18 that are missing for less than - The victim is a minor (i.e. under 18 years of age); one month. We do this because there is a very high number of missing children in Europe; - It is a proven abduction or there are clear elements indicating that it could be a case of - The link to the public information will be abduction, and/or the health or the life of the deleted once the child has been found or when victim is at high risk; the child is missing for longer than one month.

- Information is available which, once For a complete overview of the list of websites disseminated, will allow the victim to be located. that are monitored on a daily basis, please see: Publication of this information is not expected to http://www.amberalert.eu/HowItWorks.aspx. add to the risk facing the victim;

- There are good reasons to believe that the perpetrator has crossed the border with the child 75% of abducted and/ or the abduction occurred in a region very close to a border (or even several borders) that children killed can be an escape route for the perpetrator6.

The criteria used to assess whether a child will are killed within be displayed on AMBER Alert Europe or not: - AMBER Alert Europe only uses information 3 hours made available to us by official sources from * Source: Child Abduction Murder study, Washington State law enforcement or other police mandated Attorney General's Office, 2006 organizations;

6 The common criteria for launching a child alert, part of the Best Practices developed by the European Commission. Point 4 refers strictly to the launch of a cross- border alert. http://ec.europa.eu/justice/funding/rights/call_10014/ramc_ag_annex_5_2008_en.pdf

18 2.2 AMBER Alerts in 2014

In 2014, AMBER Alert Europe shared 25 AMBER Alerts that were issued in several EU Member States.

Month AMBER Alerts Country

January 2 Czech Republic (1), United Kingdom (1) February 5 Belgium (1), Czech Republic (3), Ireland (1) March 4 Czech Republic (2), the Netherlands (1), United Kingdom (1) April 3 Czech Republic (1), France (1), the Netherlands (1) May 2 Czech Republic (2) June 0 July 2 Czech Republic (1), the Netherlands (1) August 1 Ireland (1) September 2 Germany (1), Czech Republic (1) October 1 Czech Republic (1) November 0 December 3 Czech Republic (3) TOTAL 25

Table 1: Number of AMBER Alerts per month that were issued in several EU Member States

2.3 Endangered missing children in 2014

In 2014, AMBER Alert Europe shared 1739 cases of endangered missing children cases from EU Member States, including Switzerland.

AMBER Alerts AMBER Alerts Endangered missing Endangered missing Country 2013 2014 children 2013 children 2014

Austria ** ** 0 0 Belgium 0 1 15 26

Table 2: Number of AMBER Alerts and endangered missing children cases that were displayed on www.amberalert.eu in 2013 and 2014

19 AMBER Alerts AMBER Alerts Endangered missing Endangered missing Country 2013 2014 children 2013 children 2014

Bulgaria ** ** 29 7 Croatia ** ** 266 306 Cyprus 0 0 0 0 Czech Republic 30 15 *** *** Denmark ** ** 0 1 Estonia ** ** 0 0 Finland ** ** 0 0 France 0 1 35 29 Germany 0 1 101 71 Greece 3 0 7 7 Hungary ** ** 386 519 Ireland 2 2 20 37 Italy 0 0 3 8 Latvia ** ** 12 7 Lithuania ** ** 0 0 Luxembourg ** ** 0 3 Malta ** ** 0 0 The Netherlands 3* 3 289 135 Poland ** 0 208 505 Portugal 0 0 0 0 Romania 0 0 31 43 Slovenia ** ** 0 0 Slovakia ** ** 0 0 Spain ** 0 2 5 Sweden ** ** 14 20 Switzerland 0 0 4 10 United Kingdom 0 2 *** *** TOTAL 38 25 1422 1739

Table 2: Number of AMBER Alerts and endangered missing children cases that were displayed on www.amberalert.eu in 2013 and 2014

*These AMBER Alerts were actively issued across European borders. **No system available according to the European Union (source: http://ec.europa.eu/justice/fundamental-rights/rights-child/ alert-mechanism/index_en.htm) ***AMBER Alert Europe only displays active AMBER Alerts, no endangered missing children.

20 03

Expert Conferences and Events In 2014 AMBER Alert Europe organized several expert conferences for police, government and NGO actively involved in the field of missing and abducted children. Also, the AMBER Alert Europe goals and mission were presented at various other international conferences. 3.1 Police Expert meeting in Hamburg – February 2014

In February an expert meeting for police the Police Expert meeting, all attendees received specialists from the different German states and a certificate. bordering countries took place in Hamburg (Germany). The expert meeting was organized Launch online advertising project by AMBER Alert Europe in cooperation with the The German NGO Initiative Vermisste Kinder German NGO Initiative Vermisste Kinder. presented their new online advertising project, which is developed bij Stroër Media AG. With this Police Experts brought together move, Germany follows the example of Google During the expert meeting police experts from US, which in 2012 launched its add-on to the different German states, the Netherlands and US AMBER Alert plan called Google AMBER Alert Czech Republic discussed AMBER Alert criteria, / Child Alert. However, in the US, Google only technology, procedures and recent close-to- displays AMBER Alerts if you use Google Search to the-border cases. The police delegates signed a search for related information (such as the word Police Cooperation agreement, in order to clarify 'missing'), or if you use Google maps at a location the steps that need to be taken in their own a child was reported missing. The German AMBER country (Germany, the Netherlands or Czech Alert takes this one step further: anyone in a Republic) in case of en endangered missing specific area will see the photo and description of person and to exchange contact details. As a the missing child. token of appreciation for their participation at

Police experts from the Netherlands, Germany and Czech Republic attending the expert meeting in Hamburg

22 3.2 3.3 European Parliament – Expert Conference September 2014 at the European

In September, the AMBER Alert Europe team Parliament in Brussels presented its goals and ambitions in the – October 2014 European Parliament at an info booth at the Main Hall in the European Parliament. The info On October 15, 2014 AMBER Alert Europe, together booth was organized together with Dr. Kay with Member of the European Parliament Sophie Swinburne, Member of the European Parliament in ‘t Veld, organized the expert conference ‘Child (European Conservatives and Reformists Group/ Alerting in the EU: saving the lives of endangered Conservative Party). missing children’ at the European Parliament in Brussels. For more information, please see www. amberalert.eu/event.

Police and ministry representatives of over 20 One of the most Eurosceptic countries people I know in my The conference brought together police and constituency of Wales once ministry representatives of over 20 countries actively involved in the field of child alerting and told me that if one good thing endangered missing children, as well as topic comes from Europe, it is owners at the European Parliament, European AMBER Alert. Commission, international organizations, such as Europol, Interpol and Frontex, and relevant NGO's. Kay Swinburne - Member of European Parliament (ECR/ Conservative Party, United Kingdom) Speakers at the conference Keynote speakers at the conference included Sophie in ‘t Veld, Member of the European Parliament and vice-chair of ALDE; Wil van Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) Gemert, vice-president Europol; Claudio Kavrecic, were invited to visit the info booth to discuss the Head of Air Border Sector Frontex; Caroline situation of endangered missing children in the Humer, Program Director ICMEC; Frank Hoen, EU. Over 100 MEPs signed the AMBER Alert Europe Founder AMBER Alert Europe. petition to improve the protection of endangered missing children. By signing the petition, they Expert speakers and moderators of the expert publicly back AMBER Alert Europe in her call for sessions included Alain Barbier, Interpol Deputy a pan-European network of AMBER Alert systems Special Representative to the European Union; (see section 1.5). Furthermore, the AMBER Alert Caroline Humer, Program Director ICMEC; Alain team drawn attention to the ‘Child Alerting in the Remue, Commanding Officer Missing Persons EU’ conference, which was organized by AMBER Alert Europe.

23 Unit, Belgian Federal Police; Mirosław Kaczmarek, Police Expert Honorary Award 2014 Deputy Inspector, Polish National Police; Petra Alain Remue, Commanding officer Missing Binkova, Czech Ministry of Interior; Irma Schijf, Persons Unit of the Belgian Federal Police, has Team Leader Missing Persons Bureau, Dutch been awarded the Police Expert Honorary Award National Police; Carlo Schippers, Behavioral 2014. The missing children expert received Expert at National Missing Persons Bureau, the award during the ‘Child Alerting in the EU’ Dutch National Police; Charlie Hedges, Manager conference. This reward, offered by AMBER Missing and Abducted Children Department, Alert Europe, is a special honorary award that CEOP; Michael Dejozé, Project Manager EMROD; recognizes outstanding police experts for their Lars Bruhns, Chairman Initiative Vermisste Kinder; significant contributions to finding endangered Amanda Pick Executive Director, Missing Children missing children. Society of Canada; Charles Tannock, Member of the European Parliament; Goswijn Thijssen, Head The award was handed over to Mr. Remue by his of Media Buying Solutions Benelux & Nordics, UK counterpart Charlie Hedges, Manager Missing Google; Joris Geertman, Business Director, KPN and Abducted Children Department at CEOP, Consulting; Frank Hoen, Founder AMBER Alert part of the UK National Crime Agency. Europe. ‘Members Only’ conference dinner Police only work group On October 14 AMBER Alert Europe hosted a At the conference, there were several work conference dinner for all members of AMBER groups, exclusively for police experts. In these Alert Europe. New members were introduced workgroups police experts presented their at this dinner. Also AMBER Alert Europe’s goals view on the improvement on the protection of and vision for the upcoming year have been endangered missing children. Also, police experts presented at this dinner. had the opportunity to discuss specific cases with their colleagues.

Conference on Child Alerting in the EU, European Parliament Brussel, October 15 2014

24 25 3.4 Presenting AMBER Alert Europe at other conferences and events

In 2014, the AMBER Alert Europe approach was companies share their thoughts on current and presented during several conferences and events future developments. in Europe, for example: Google Serve Day – June 2014 Meeting Dutch Missing Persons Specialists – On June 27 the AMBER Alert Europe team May 2014 attended the Google Serve Day. AMBER Alert’s AMBER Alert attended the meeting of the Dutch mission and goals were presented at the Google Missing Persons and presented its mission to the team. Following this detailed presentation, the police experts in the field of missing persons. Google team worked with the AMBER Alert team to improve the search for endangered missing Launch enhanced Child Rescue Alert UK – children. May 2014 On May 20, the UK launched its enhanced Child National Missing Persons Day – June 2014 Rescue Alert. AMBER Alert Europe attended the AMBER Alert presented its goals and vision at the press launch of the improved child abduction National Missing Persons Day organized by the system. Dutch National Police. Attendees were mainly Dutch police experts in the area of missing Mobile Convention – May 2014 persons. AMBER Alert Europe presented the AMBER Alert Europe platform at the Mobile Convention in 3.4.7 Social Media Week – September 2014 Amsterdam. This is the leading event in Northern AMBER Alert Europe presented its goals and Europe that offers broad insights into the future, vision at the Social Media Week in Rotterdam in mobile landscape and showcases the business September 2014. possibilities of new technologies and applications.

Inno Event – May 2014 Founder and President of AMBER Alert Europe, Frank Hoen, presented the AMBER Alert platform and addressed the future of the AMBER Alert initiative at the Inno Event in Amsterdam. The Inno Event was organized by The Future Group. Representatives from several technological

26 04

Facilitating and advising countries, members and partners

AMBER Alert assists relevant authorities in EU member states to create and/ or further improve a national AMBER Alert system in line with the 2008 best practices provided by the European Commission. 4.1 AMBER Alert Europe Police Expert Group

AMBER Alert Europe calls for the appointment of police expert network in October 2014. This a Single Point of Contact (SPOC) for endangered group allows missing children police experts to missing children on a national level. This person/ quickly and informally contact their colleagues in department is to be appointed as SPOC by the other EU member states. relevant authorities in each EU member state, and is the first point of contact for other EU Coming up member states when a child goes missing and The Police Expert Group will be leaded by Mr. might have crossed the border. This is also the Charlie Hedges from January 2015. Mr. Hedges first point of contact for sharing of police expert is a renowned police expert from the UK. He will best practices and relevant documents on the join the AMBER Alert Europe team as European topic of endangered missing children. Alert Coordinator.

As a first step towards this SPOC structure, AMBER Alert Europe has launched an informal European

When a child is missing and in danger, it is essential that action is taken quickly to recover them. Knowing who to speak to in another country simplifies and speeds up actions to locate and recover the child.

Charlie Hedges - Manager Missing and Abducted Children Department, CEOP, United Kingdom)

28 4.2 Improve cross border police cooperation

AMBER Alert Europe helps improve cross media and citizens in the area (maximum of 50 km border police cooperation to ensure an AMBER regarding official EU standards) are immediately Alert crosses the border just as easily as a child informed and on the lookout. As an exemplary abductor: project, this pilot serves as a best practices for finding missing children across borders by 4.2.1 Sharing information engaging citizens.

To support missing person police experts and AMBER Alert Europe calls for protocols to ensure departments across the EU, information on active that when a child is at risk in a border area or the AMBER Alerts and other endangered missing police suspect that the child may have crossed children is made centrally available on the AMBER the border, the police in the other country are Alert website (information that has been made informed immediately in order that the media public by police only). and the public can be informed.

4.2.2 Pilot projects in Euregions Coming up In 2015, AMBER Alert Europe will continue In September 2014, AMBER Alert Europe initiated working on cross border police cooperation by a Euregional pilot project for missing persons in using the Meuse-Rhine Euregion project as an the Meuse-Rhine Euregion. This pilot is intended exemplary pilot project as a best practice for to develop border protocols to ensure that when finding missing persons. someone goes missing in a Euregion, police,

Joining forces with AMBER Alert Europe is the next step in further improving the Polish Child Alert system and helping to extend the reach of a Polish Child Alert

Marek Dzialoszynski, Chief Commander of Police in Poland

29 4.3 Training & technological innovation

AMBER Alert Europe is the European expert center Coming up in the field of endangered missing children and In 2015, AMBER Alert Europe will continue child alerting. providing and facilitating expert training in the field of endangered missing children. This will 4.3.1 Sharing best practices be coordinated by Mr. Hedges, who will join the AMBER Alert team in January 2015. AMBER Alert Europe Examples shares best practices, for example through an online portal: 4.3.3 Managing the the AMBER Alert Europe Police Expert Group (see section 2.3.1); and through conferences: the development of technology Police Expert meeting in Hamburg (see section modules 2.2.1) and the ‘Child Alerting in the EU’ conference (see section 2.2.3). AMBER Alert Europe manages the development of technology modules through citizen sourcing Coming up and facilitates the sharing of these and other In 2015, AMBER Alert Europe will continue relevant technological innovations, as well as sharing best practices. In 2015 AMBER Alert will standardized communication protocols. For for example coordinate the Police Expert Group example, AMBER Alert Europe continuously (see section 2.3.1). innovates the AMBER Alert platform by adding new tools, such as online advertising and the Google Child Alert. For a complete overview of 4.3.2 Providing police expert all aspects of the AMBER Alert Europe platform, training regarding child alerting see section 4. and endangered missing Coming up children In 2015 AMBER Alert Europe will be working with Facebook and Google to explore additional ways AMBER Alert Europe provides and facilitates to issue AMBER Alerts7 and increase the reach of expert training in the area of child alerting and these child abduction alerts even further. endangered missing children. Examples of these are the police expert meeting in Hamburg (see For example, a Google Child Alert system will be section 2.2.1) and police exclusive work groups active in the EU Member States. This expected at the ‘Child Alerting in the EU’ conference (see to be launched in 2015. The Google child alert section 2.2.3).

7 In some countries alternate names are used, such as Child Rescue Alert (UK), Child Alert (Belgium), Alerte Enlevement (France), etc.

30 4.4 AMBER Alert systems in other countries system is based on Google Public Alerts – which AMBER Alert Europe helps creating an active are designed to show Google users emergency AMBER Alert system in all EU member states notifications provided by authoritative sources. assisting relevant authorities in EU member AMBER Alerts are automatically displayed if states to create and/ or further improve a national citizens use Google Search or Maps. With the AMBER Alert system in line with the 2008 best Google Child Alert (also called Google AMBER practices provided by the European Commission8. Alert in some countries), citizens see an AMBER Alert if they search for related information in a In October 2014, AMBER Alert Europe announced particular location where a child has recently that Slovakia and Poland are both going to roll been abducted and an alert was issued. This out the same AMBER Alert system as is used in AMBER Alert component is already active in the the Netherlands. In the Netherlands, this AMBER US. Together with other organizations, AMBER Alert system is used by the police to instantly alert Alert Europe contributes to the developments in 12 million people when a child goes missing and Europe. is feared to be in immediate danger. The system uses any available media - including TV, radio, 4.3.4 Researching the topic of highway signs, text messages, email, website banners, advertising screens, PC screensavers, endangered missing children smartphone apps and social media - and is used about 120 times a year for both AMBER Alerts and AMBER Alert Europe researches and contributes other endangered missing children cases. Both to research of other organizations on the topic Slovakia and Poland are working together with of endangered missing children. AMBER Alert AMBER Alert Europe to create/ further improve makes this centrally available for all EU member their national AMBER Alert system. states. For example, at the ‘Child Alerting in the EU’ conference (see section 2.2.3), recent findings were shared with police and ministry 4.4.1 Slovakia representatives of over 20 countries. In the Slovak Republic, the Slovak Police Force and UNICEF Slovakia (Linka detskej istoty), have Coming up teamed up with AMBER Alert Europe to work In 2015, AMBER Alert Europe will continuously towards rolling out a similar AMBER Alert system contribute to research on child alerting and in their country on March 31st 2015. endangered missing children.

8 Written declaration on emergency cooperation in recovering missing children (PE405.176v01-00), adopted by the European Parliament, 21 April 2008, calling on Member States to introduce a child alert system and to reach cooperation agreements, allowing cross-border alerts to be triggered, and also calling for the development of a common organization to provide assistance and training to national bodies http://www.europarl.europa.eu/sides/getDoc.do?pubRef=-//EP// NONSGML+WDECL+P6-DCL-2008-0036+0+DOC+PDF+V0//EN&language=EN

31 AMBER Alert Europe advised the Slovak Police with the Polish Police, AMBER Alert Europe will Force and UNICEF on the implementation and help improving the current Polish Child Alert facilitated the contacts between the Slovak and system with her knowledge about the AMBER the Dutch police. Also, AMBER Alert Europe will Alert technology, free of charge. provide the AMBER Alert technology to Slovakia, free of charge. 4.4.3 Other countries

Coming up AMBER Alert Europe also advised the Czech AMBER Alert Europe, the Slovak Police Force and ministry of the interior and the United Kingdom the NGO Child Helpline are planning to launch the during the creation of their improved child alert Slovakian AMBER Alert system on March 31st 2015. system. The system will be the first cross-border AMBER Alert system that insures that not only Slovak, Thanks to the AMBER Alert Europe’s close but also endangered missing children and child cooperation with her members (see section alerts in neighboring countries, are automatically 1.6) when a child goes missing in Europe, it can displayed on the AMBER Alert Slovakia website. quickly be brought to the attention in the other countries as well, if the police feels the child 4.4.2 Poland might have traveled abroad.

AMBER Alert Europe advised the Polish National Coming up Police on the implementation of the Polish The next year, AMBER Alert Europe will actively national Child Alert system. AMBER Alert Europe help creating an active AMBER Alert system in all also facilitated the contacts between the Polish EU member states assisting relevant authorities and the Dutch police. in EU member states to create and/ or further improve their national AMBER Alert system. In 2014 the Polish National Police signed an agreement with AMBER Alert Europe to work together in further improving the Polish Child Alert system which was launched in November 2013. Together with AMBER Alert Europe the Polish police plans to extend the current platform with new technological options as already being used in for example the Netherlands, to further broaden the reach of an AMBER Alert. The Polish Child Alert is managed by the Center for Missing Persons KGP of the Polish Police.

Coming up AMBER Alert Europe will continue to advise the Polish police on the improvement of the Polish Child Alert and facilitate the contacts between the Polish and the Dutch police. In cooperation

32 05

Media list and how it looks

An AMBER Alert reaches millions of people within minutes. When an AMBER Alert is issued by the police, the picture of the AMBER Alert child is instantly visible everywhere via dozens of different media. TV and radio There are agreements in place with major TV and radio broadcasters, for example the Dutch NOS, ANP, SBS and RTL. As soon as an AMBER Alert is issued, it goes on air (during TV programs for example as a tickertape or as an extra news flash in the first commercial break). The news flash is automatically and digitally prepared for the TV and radio stations.

Highway signs If information on the car of the abductor is available (such as license plate numbers), an AMBER Alert is also automatically published on digital highway signs.

Google Child Alert AMBER Alerts are automatically displayed if citizens use Google Search or Maps. With the Google Child Alert (also called Google AMBER Alert in some countries), citizens see an AMBER Alert if they search for related information in a particular location where a child has recently been abducted and an alert was issued. This AMBER Alert component is already active in the US. There are also developments in Europe.

Online banners and advertisements People surfing the web, playing a game on their mobile phone or using apps are informed immediately and proactively of a missing child through online advertisements. Anyone in a specific area will see the photo and description of the missing child.

Large TV screens (Digital Signage) AMBER Alerts automatically appear on large TV screens in for example supermarkets, cinemas, indoor children playgrounds, day care centers, swimming pools and sports centers. For example, download the Dutch AMBER Alert for large screens: http://www. amberalertnederland.nl/HelpUs.aspx?lang=en#beeldkrant.

34 SMS with photo When an AMBER Alert is issued, subscribers immediately receive an SMS text message. With a link to the AMBER Alert mobile website, people can see a ‘missing’ notice featuring a photo of the child. For example to register for the Dutch SMS Alerts: http://www. amberalertnederland.nl/HelpUs.aspx?lang=en#mobiele_telefoon.

PC Pop up When an AMBER Alert is issued, a pop up message with the AMBER Alert notice immediately appears on tens of thousands of PCs. This pop up message is not stopped by pop up blockers. For example, download the Dutch PC pop up: http://www.amberalertnederland.nl/ ReceiveAlert.aspx?id=1&lang=en.

Facebook AMBER Alerts are also issued via various Facebook pages. The official Facebook page of AMBER Alert Europe is https://www.facebook.com/ AMBERAlertEurope. The site gives users information regarding AMBER Alerts in Europe and other current news.

Twitter AMBER Alerts are also displayed via Twitter. AMBER Alert Europe uses the following Twitter-account: https://twitter.com/amberalerteu. By following this account, users receive information regarding AMBER Alerts and other current news.

Apps With an AMBER Alert App, users receive a push notification when an AMBER Alert is issued. For example, the Dutch AMBER Alert App is available for iOS and Android and the German AMBER Alert App also (iOS and Android).

35 Website Pop ups and banners On many major news sites, including the Dutch telegraaf.nl and uitzendinggemist.nl and on thousands of other websites, a pop up screen or banner with the picture of the missing or abducted child automatically appears when an AMBER Alert is active and someone visits this website. For example, please download the Dutch AMBER Alert Website Alert or the AMBER Alert Banner.

PC Screensaver Active AMBER Alerts are also displayed via a screensaver – intended for schools, libraries and other organizations that have a lot of PCs in screensaver mode part of the day. The screensaver also shows current missing children posters. For example to download the Dutch AMBER Alert screensaver: http://www.amberalertnederland.nl/ReceiveAlert. aspx?id=1&lang=en.

E-mail with printable poster in attachment When an AMBER Alert is issued, users immediately receive an email Alert. This E-mail Alert often includes a picture of the missing child. Please register for the AMBER Alert Europe E-mail Alert: http://www. amberalert.eu/HelpUs.aspx#subscribe. In the Netherlands for example, this email also has an attachment containing a printable AMBER Alert notice which can be posted in shops, community centers and schools. To register for the Dutch E-mail Alert, please click here: http://www. amberalertnederland.nl/ReceiveAlert.aspx?id=1&lang=en.

AMBER Alert Poster When the police issues an AMBER Alert, citizens can forward, display of print out automatically generated posters with the picture of the missing child. In case of a Dutch AMBER Alert, the poster can be downloaded here: http://www.amberalertnederland.nl/HelpUs. aspx?lang=en#poster.

RSS Newsfeed With the AMBER Alert RSS newsfeed organizations develop their own applications displaying AMBER Alerts, such as existing advertising TV screens in large fast-food chains. The AMBER Alert Europe newsfeed: http://feed.amberalert.eu/rssext.xml.

36 Mobile Website AMBER Alerts are automatically displayed via a mobile website. When there is an active AMBER Alert, this website automatically displays a photo of the missing child. An AMBER Alert SMS Alert message often contains a link to a mobile website. For example, visit the Dutch mobile website: www.amberalert.nu.

Missing Children Map On the AMBER Alert Europe website, there is a Google map with all endangered missing children and active AMBER Alerts in Europe. On the website of its members in the Netherlands and Germany, a similar Google map of endangered missing children shows the missing children in those countries.

Screens in Public Transport When an AMBER Alert is issued, the photo of the missing child is automatically displayed on TV screens in public transport (e.g. buses, trains). For example, download the Dutch AMBER Alert for screens in public transport: http://www.amberalertnederland.nl/HelpUs. aspx?lang=en#beeldkrant.

Railway Stations / Airports When an AMBER Alert is issued, the photo of the missing child is directly shown on large screens in airports, railway and metro stations in Europe. For example, to display Dutch AMBER Alerts in airports, railway and metro stations, please visit: http://www. amberalertnederland.nl/HelpUs.aspx?lang=en#beeldkrant.

Railway Personnel When an AMBER Alert is issued, all employees of the Dutch National Railways immediately receive a message with a photo of the missing child on their handheld computers. To register your entire organization for AMBER Alerts in Europe, please visit: http://www. amberalert.eu/HelpUs.aspx#organizations.

37 Supermarkets /Cinemas When an AMBER Alert is issued, the photo of the missing child is instantly visible on large TV screens in shopping malls, supermarkets and cinemas. For example, download the Dutch AMBER Alert for screens in public spaces: http://www.amberalertnederland.nl/HelpUs. aspx?lang=en#beeldkrant.

Police AMBER Alerts are also disseminated to the police via various networks, including mobile phones, PCs, TV screens and the C2000 network. To register your entire organization for AMBER Alerts in Europe, please visit: http://www.amberalert.eu/HelpUs.aspx#organizations.

116 000 Hotline The 116 000 is the European hotline number reserved by the European Commission for missing children. This number is connected to the national organization that is specialized in dealing with these cases. For more information, please visit: http://ec.europa.eu/justice/ fundamental-rights/rights-child/hotline/index_en.htm.

38 Annex01

Notarial Statement

02Annex

Financial Report 2014

AMBER Alert Europe is a not-for-profit organization under Dutch Law. The financial report of 2014 is in Dutch.