Child abduction alert service set for May launch

A nationwide alert system to enlist members of the public to help find abducted children will be launched next month.

The system, known as Child Rescue Alert, will use computer software and work in a similar fashion to the amber alert system in the US. The amber alert system comes into effect once police discover an abduction that meets certain criteria.

Alerts to members of the public are broadcast on radio and television and on road signs, and can also be issued on devices such as mobile phones and over the internet.

The new system, which will be compatible with those in other European countries, is being co-ordinated by the National Police Improvement Agency (NPIA) with national abduction cases being led by Manchester Police.

Chief Constable Peter Neyroud, who heads the NPIA, said the new alert will be launched on 25 May, International Missing Children’s Day. He said: “Child Rescue Alert is a powerful tool in the fight against child abduction in the UK.

“About 100,000 children are reported missing to police each year. Many are quickly reunited with their families but only a very small number are abducted.

“By establishing a powerful partnership between the police, media and the public, Child Rescue Alert allows information about the child and the suspect to be shared in just a few hours of a disappearance when the criteria for such an alert are met. These are often the vital hours which could literally mean the difference between life and death.

“Child Rescue Alert is not expected to be used often, as strict criteria must be met, but it is a valuable tool available to a senior investigator to be used in the right situations.

“We plan to increase public awareness about the scheme in the coming months so people understand how it works and what to do in the event an alert is launched.”