Utah citizens can now find out about AMBER Alerts at the same time as law enforcement officers and broadcasters. The nearly instant alerts can be received on pagers, cell phones, computers or any text message device. This groundbreaking new addition to Utah's AMBER Alert Plan will allow the public to immediately start searching for an abducted child or a suspect during the first critical moments.

The Utah Bureau of Criminal Identification (BCI) will transmit the alerts through the Utah Criminal Justice Information System (UCJIS) to anyone who registers to receive the alerts. This is the first time that the system has been used to notify anyone other than law enforcement officers.

"We were looking at better ways to notify law enforcement officers and came up with a plan to make the alerts available to every single Utahn," says Nannette Rolfe, BCI bureau director.

To sign up for the alert, the public can submit their information to the Utah Bureau of Criminal Identification at www.bci.utah.gov.

In the past officers could initiate an AMBER Alert by sending an e-mail or fax to the Salt Lake Communications Center. The alerts were sometimes delayed because different recipients would have to retype the information before it could be sent out.

"Every second counts when a child has been abducted. This new plan will make sure that everyone will know instantly who to look for and what the suspect may be driving," says Utah Attorney General Mark Shurtleff.

Within seconds after the AMBER Plan is activated, the information will be transmitted by UCJIS to all Utah law enforcement agencies, TV and radio broadcasters, electronic highway and business signs, BCI's flyer distribution system, ports of entry and truckers, highway advisory radio transmitters and travel information phone line (511), and anyone requesting to receive the alerts by pager, cell phone, etc.

Utah's AMBER Alert Plan has always been a cooperative effort between the public and private sector. Here are some of the latest examples of how businesses are joining in to make the alerts more effective:

• FATPOT Technologies, Inc. is announcing today that Utahns can download a free ticker to receive alerts on their home or office computer. The ticker will send alerts over the Internet and scroll the information on top of the computer screen. It can also direct users to a website containing detailed information relating to the alert. Visit www.fatpot.com to download the AMBER Alert ticker.
• AT&T Wireless and the Utah Broadcasters Association made a donation to pay for Utah AMBER Alert brochures. The brochures will be distributed to law enforcement officers and the public.
• Qwest Communications announced Monday that it will notify all of their employees when an alert has been issued.
• Businesses throughout Utah are volunteering to put the alerts up on their electronic signs and billboards. Business owners can contact Laurie Bott at (801)222-9201 to find out how to participate in the program.
• Hard Rock Café is creating a special collectors pin to raise money for AMBER Alert training. The pins will go on sale in Salt Lake City next week.

Utah has an advisory committee to establish policies and procedures, provide training for law enforcement and broadcasters, review alerts and promote the program to the state. Some committee members will be attending the first National AMBER Alert Conference in Dallas on August 3-5.

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