Amber Alert Drill

Wednesday, May 9th 2007, 8:37 pm

By: News On 6

The Amber Alert system has helped rescue more than 300 children, across the nation. Now, Tulsa is updating its criteria for calling an Amber Alert. On Wednesday local officials took part in a drill to put those changes in action. The News On 6's Ashli Sims reports it's training to make sure kidnapped kids come home safely.

Typically for an abduction to warrant an Amber Alert, it had to satisfy two requirements. There needed to be a witness with suspect information and the suspect had to be a stranger. That's not the case anymore.

When an Amber Alert is issued, the alarm is sounded and the signs begin to flash. You become the police's eyes and ears on the ground, partners in the race to save an abducted child. But officers want to make sure when you're needed, you're paying attention. That's why they have strict guidelines they follow.

"If we call too many of them, because our criteria is so broad, then our citizens are desensitized," said Tulsa Police Sergeant John Adams. "They look at those boards and say, 'Oh, they're flashing again.' And they don't pay attention."

As a rule, Amber Alerts were reserved for abductions committed by strangers. But there have been cases, like that of little Cage Scruggins. The 4-year-old was kidnapped by his father, but police decided to issue an alert anyway.

"The danger to the child is the number one thing that we look for," Adams said.

In the Scruggins case, the suspect was a convicted felon, who made threats against Cage's life. Family members credited the Amber Alert with the boy's rescue three days after he was taken.

"If we have grave danger or great danger to a child, even if it's a known abductor, if that child is in grave danger, then it might rise to possibly meet the criteria of being an Amber Alert," said Adams.

Sergeant Adams says they're also working to streamline the chain of command to get officers searching for children quicker.

"And that's what we're trying to do is cut down response time," he said. "Get the maximum number of officers and detectives that we can on the scene to start the search and lock down the city as quick as we can."

To issue an Amber Alert, the victim still has to be 17-years-old or younger. And the crime does need to have a witness with good suspect information.

Watch the video: Changes Made To Oklahoma's Amber Alert System

WEB EXTRA: Amber Alert Program Explained

Related stories:

1/1/2005 Bartlesville Amber Alert

1/3/2005 Missing 4-Year-Old Bartlesville Boy Found Safe, Father Arrested In Wagoner

1/15/2005 Concerns Over Amber Alert Prompts Legislation

4/29/2005 Bartlesville Man Convicted Of Assaulting His Wife And Mother

5/27/2005 Bartlesville Man Sentenced To Prison

5/29/2005 Judge Sentences Man To Two 20 Year Prison Terms For Assaults