Tirana – 25 May 2023 – After a year of preparatory work, Albania is ready to launch Amber Alert. This corresponds also with the activities that are taking place in Albania on International Day for Missing Children. Amber Alerts are signals issued by the police, to engage law enforcement and child protection institutions, CSOs and the entire community in finding and recovering a missing child.
The International Center for Missing and Exploited Children (ICMEC) in collaboration with the National Albanian Police and CRCA/ECPAT Albania, with the support of the Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs (INL) at the US Embassy in Albania and with funding from the US Department of State, during this period have held joint information and preparatory meetings on the operation of the Amber Alert, have developed work protocols to be implemented by the Police. Meta has also supported the implementation of the alert system and will join forces with the Albanian State Police to disseminate the alerts of missing children.
Currently, the partners are working on training police officers and first line responders on the overall functioning of the Alert, including practical trials of issuing the signal, coordination with partners, etc. Expert trainers are from USA, Greece, and Albania. The aim is to strengthen police work in protecting children in dangerous and high-risk situations, especially children who go missing or are kidnapped who are at higher risk of exploitation or trafficking.
For the Albanian Police, the launching of the Amber Alert is extremely important. The General Director of the Albanian Police established a working group from various police forces, to support the implementation of the Alert in Albania.
The alert will enable the public to support the police in finding missing children by distributing information on the child and the potential abductor, to find the missing child faster and safe. Coupled with the Albanian State Police’s expertise and the training provided, these tips will help make the police investigation faster and more efficient.
CRCA/ECPAT Albania has been advocating for the implementation of the Amber Alert for the last 13 years. Albania will be the first country in the Western Balkans to implement the signal, serving as a positive example for the entire region. In Europe, there are 20 countries that have implemented the Amber Alert for missing children.
The Amber Alert was created in 1996 in the USA, after the loss of a 9-year-old girl, Amber Hagerman, who was kidnapped and then found murdered in Texas. The loss of Amber woke up American society, institutions, and legislators, who together decided to create a notification emergency signal, every time a missing child is thought to be in danger for life or to be exploited.
For more info, contact:
CRCA/ECPAT Albania
E-mail: crca@crca.al