COLORADO

DEPARTMENT OF

PUBLIC SAFETY

COLORADO BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION

AMBER ALERT PROGRAM

CRS - 24-33.5-415.7 (AMBER ALERT PROGRAM)

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RULES AND REGULATIONS

CONCERNING

AMBER ALERT PROGRAM

AUTHORITY TO ADOPT RULES AND REGULATIONS

The Colorado Department of Public Safety Executive Director is mandated to promulgate rules and regulation regarding the Amber Alert Program pursuant to 24-33.5-415.7.

DEFINITIONS

The definitions provided in section 24-33.5-415.7(2) shall apply to these rules and regulations.

 Abducted Child - means a child whose whereabouts are unknown, whose domicile at the time he or she was reported missing was Colorado, whose age at the time first reported missing was seventeen (17) years of age or younger, and whose disappearance poses a credible threat as determined by local law enforcement to the safety and health of the child.

 Emergency Alert System - EAS - means a system comprised of radio and television broadcast stations activated by the state emergency alert station. The EAS system, established by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), is a tool the President and others may use to warn the public about emergency situations. For the purpose of this rulemaking, the EAS system will be utilized for the broadcasting of information related to abducted children.

 Amber Alert Broadcast - means an EAS notification containing information regarding an abducted child, the suspected abductor, circumstances surrounding the abduction, suspect(s) mode of transportation and/or direction of travel, and any additional information pertaining to the investigation.

RULES/REGULATIONS/PROCEDURES

CBI-AAP1

A local law enforcement agency, operating under their individual policies and procedures, involving an investigation and upon confirmation of a report of an abducted child, may notify the Colorado Bureau of Investigation and request that the information be conveyed to the bureau for an Amber Alert Broadcast. The Colorado Bureau of Investigation will provide a designated telephone number to be utilized for contacting CBI personnel assigned to assist local law enforcement agencies with the Amber Alert Broadcast. The number will be operational 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Voicemail messages shall not be left concerning an Amber Alert Broadcast.

CBI-AAP2

The CBI will verify the accuracy of the information based on personal contact with a representative from the law enforcement agency. The verification of information provided by the law enforcement agency will include but is not limited to :

1) Confirming the identity of the law enforcement agency and the reporting law enforcement official.

2) Verify that the information being reported meets the definition of "abducted child".

The CBI will then forward the information on to the State Emergency Alert System Broadcaster for Colorado. The state EAS broadcaster as of June 5, 2002 is radio station KOA, (Clear Channel Communications of Colorado), located at 4695 South Monaco Street, Denver, Colorado 80237.

CBI-AAP3

The state EAS broadcaster shall broadcast all appropriate information that may assist in the safe recovery of the abducted child, and a statement instructing anyone with information regarding the abducted child to contact his or her local law enforcement agency. The alert information may contain but is not limited to:

1) Victims name and identification information to include last known location.

2) Suspect(s) name and identification information.

3) Information involving the suspect(s) mode of transportation to include last known location.

4) Brief description of events leading to the abduction.

5) Information directly related to the safety and health of the child.

6) Information relating to the safety and welfare of the public.

CBI-AAP4

The Alert may be rebroadcast. The frequency of the rebroadcast information may be at the direction of the state or local law enforcement and as additional information becomes available or as investigation circumstances change.

The cancellation of the broadcast shall be the responsibility of the CBI. The bureau will notify the state EAS broadcaster if the child has been found. Any law enforcement agency that locates a child who was the subject of an Amber Alert Broadcast shall notify the CBI personnel assigned to assist local law enforcement agencies with the Amber Alert Broadcast.

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