Scared Monkeys Missing Persons Site

“A Child Is Missing” alert program in Arkansas

Police expand resources using the “A Child Is Missing” alert program to recover missing people: New program will help find children, elderly.

The “A Child Is Missing” alert program is a telephone-based program used to track down children, elderly persons (often with Alzheimer’s) and disabled individuals by notifying the community via phone calls within the first few crucial hours after the disappearance, Lt. Lisa Wylie said.

The automated system can send 1,000 recorded messages within 60 seconds and has a 98 percent listen rate when the phone is answered, she said.

In the past 40 months, the program, which works in conjunction with the Amber Alert program and all child-safety programs, has assisted in the safe recovery of 105 missing persons across the country, she said. Since 1997, the program has received more than 10,000 calls for assistance from law enforcement and has placed nearly 11 million alert calls to residents.

The way this system works is rather interesting. Computer generated models and mapping to indicate the possible location and tracking of a missing person.

ACIM technicians use computer-mapping technology to identify the area where the individual was last seen. An imagery or satellite program is also used to increase the map-tracking accuracy and to help visualize “hot spots” that my harbor the missing child or attract a “wandering” individual.

Next, an ACIM technician records an individual alert message, which is phoned to the area where the child was last seen. The alert message asks residents to check their property for the missing individual and to call their local law enforcement agency should they have any information.

The ACIM program is presently used in the following states. If your name is not on the list call your State and Federal politicians and ask why not:

In addition to Arkansas, the program is currently available in Florida, Rhode Island, Alaska, Ohio, Georgia, Nevada, Indiana, Oklahoma, Michigan, West Virginia, Alabama, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Maine, Vermont, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, South Carolina, Illinois, California, Pennsylvania and Washington.

September 15th, 2005 at 01:41am Posted by Red | Informational, Missing Children | 3 comments

Montana has joined The Child is Missing Alert Program

Montana has joined a nationwide program that uses automated phone dialing systems to alert residents of missing children.

The program, called A Child is Missing Alert, is intended to immediately get word out to area residents by phone about missing children, but also has been used to help find victims of Alzheimer’s disease, people with disabilities and even missing college students.

On Tuesday, Marlin Price, a retired police chief from Texas, trained a roomful of Montana police officers and sheriffs deputies in how the program works.

The rapid call alert system can send recorded phone messages to hundreds of homes at a time, alerting residents that police are searching for a missing child.

The recording begins: “This is an urgent message from Montana law enforcement. We are currently looking for a missing child in your area.”

We can never have enough resources at hand to prevent missing children cases.

“This program is beneficial for worst-case scenarios,” Price said. “But it works in lots of other scenarios, too. It can notify an entire neighborhood that someone is lost or if they’ve run away.”

Using satellite technology, a technician compiles information directly from an investigator on a missing child or person. The technician enters the address where the person was last seen, as well as other pertinent information, then defines an area in which to begin notifying residents.

The system won’t notify cell phones or unlisted numbers, but people can register to have those numbers also alerted.

September 15th, 2005 at 01:27am Posted by Red | Informational, Missing Children | 3 comments