Houston County Sheriff’s officials hope a new electronic alert program through area phones will give investigators an assist in helping find children reported missing.
Sheriff Andy Hughes recently implemented a program entitled “A Child is Missing Alert,” which will also help find missing Alzheimer’s patients.
Once investigators start a missing child investigation the program will then activate an automated series of calls to area phones through land lines within a 5-mile radius of the reported incident.
Residents will receive a pre-recorded alert message, which will include a detailed description of the missing person and a request to call local law enforcement if they see anyone matching the description. Anyone with a cell phone or unlisted phone number can register their number at the program’s Web site. There is no reason to register if residents have a regular landline phone.
“We feel it was something we needed to implement at the Sheriff’s Office to ensure the safety of our children,” Hughes said. “This definitely fills a void the Amber Alert leaves because it takes a while to get it started. We need to get this information out immediately.”
This program will not replace an Amber Alert, but will be used before an Amber Alert would be sent out to the public. Sometimes it takes a couple of hours for an Amber Alert to be issued from Montgomery at the state level, Hughes said.
Hughes said the program will not apply for youth who are “habitual runaways” unless they’re found to be in danger.
The program will also notify residents when a sex offender is being released and moves into their area. The addresses of known sex offenders in Houston County will not be called when a child is reported missing.
The program can generate 1,000 calls every 60 seconds, and the call radius can be expanded if there is no response. There have been more than 340 assisted recoveries of individuals with the program.
The average recovery time is 90 minutes.
“Heaven forbid we have a jail escape or suspect on the loose for murder, it can also be used to help locate them,” Hughes said. “It’ll cover any emergency during which we deem there is a danger.”
For more information or to register program visit the Web site at www.achildismissing.org
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