The police are surprised about the text message that AMBER Alert sent to its users on Thursday morning. AMBER Alert asked users to sign a petition towards the end of the collaboration between the alert system and the police. According to police, AMBER Alert made improper use of the channel, which is intended to track missing children.
The cooperation between the police and AMBER Alert will end on July 22 this year. Instead, the police will use Burgernet to bring missing children to the attention. But AMBER Alert does not agree with that, whereupon the system sent a call to all users.
“The system is not intended for this,” said a police spokesman about the text message. “Usually the organization only sends an AMBER Alert at the request of the police. But the organization’s warning system, Netpresenter, is under its own management and can send messages itself.” The spokesperson says that he has received many responses from angry users of the system who did not expect such an SMS. The police are now taking no further steps against AMBER Alert and hope that a correction is enough.
“We have not broken any rules when sending the SMS and have tested it against the telecom legislation”, says Frank Hoen, one of the founders of AMBER Alert. “The message has been sent to people who have signed up with us. We want to keep the children’s life saving system for years to come.” According to Hoen, Burgernet is not as well known as AMBER Alert and is much smaller and does not work abroad. Hoen says the system is used 20 times a year.
Burgernet is a cheaper alternative that citizens are already participating in
Police say the change will not affect the search for missing children, as AMBER Alert was only deployed twice a year. The Ministry of Justice thinks that reports about missing persons will become more recognizable if they all come under one system: Burgernet, which also uses citizen participation. This is a partnership of municipalities, military police, police and security regions.
In addition, it would save money: AMBER Alert receives 875,000 euros per year from the police. The police can also still use the international AMBER Alert network.
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