Nebraska Amber Alert Program

Activation Criteria In deciding to activate the Amber Plan, law enforcement personnel must determine whether all of the following criteria are met:

  1. The child is 17 years of age or younger.
  2. There is evidence the child is in danger of serious bodily harm or death.
  3. There is sufficient information available to disseminate to the general public, which could assist in the safe recovery of the victim and/or apprehension of a suspect.

The Amber Plan is not intended for runaways, missing children or child custody disputes. The program is resstricted to child abduction cases that could be life threatening.

Does the Amber Plan Work?
Yes, 312 children have been saved as a result of the Amber Plan, seven in Nebraska since the inception of the plan.

Who Activates the Amber Plan?
Local law enforcement personnel in the community where the abduction occurrred must first determine if all of the activation criteria are met. If so, the information is immediately forwarded to the Nebraska State Police, which activates and disseminates the information to participating radio and television stations though a direct telephone line to the State Emergency Alert System.

How do the radio and televsion stations participate?
The Amber Alert is received by radio and television stations on an EAS receiver that all stations are required to have. The alert is broadcast immediately or within a few minutes after it is received. Stations are requested to broadcast the information once every half hour for the first two hours, then hourly for the following three hours. The participation is voluntary for both law enforcement and broadcast operations. Law enforcement agencies must meet specific criteria and be authorized by the Amber Plan Committee for participation in the program. The Amber Alert is also sent to over 900 Nebraska Lottery locations across the state.

If you witness a suspected abduction of a child, immediately call 911 and notify your local law enforcement agency. Take special note of any information regarding the abducted child, the suspect, and the suspect's vehicle and provide this information to law enforcment personnel. If you hear an Amber Alert on the radio or televsion, be aware of the information broadcast and notify law enforcement immediately if you have information that may be helpful in the investigation.

For more information, please contact the
Nebraska Attorney General's Office: (402) 471-2834
To view an Amber Alert that may in effect, go to www.neamber.org