State of Texas AMBER Blue Silver Endangered Missing Persons Alert Programs TCJIUG Briefing
SAM ALLEN Alert Program Coordinator Texas Division of Emergency Management Texas Homeland Security (52) 424-2208 sam.allen@dps.texas.gov The Alert Program Coordinator is not available 24/7, or involved with activating alerts.
24/7 Operational Contact 24/7 DPS State Operations Center (SOC) at the Texas Division of Emergency Management (TDEM): Phone: (52) 424-2208 or (52) 424-2277 Fax: (52) 424-228 or (52) 45-229 Email: soc@dps.texas.gov
DPS/TDEM Alert Website http://www.dps.texas.gov/dem/operations/ Alerts/index.htm
HOW DOES AN ALERT GET ISSUED?
Start with Local Law Enforcement The public should immediately report the missing persons incident to local law enforcement. There is no waiting period (required by state or federal legislation) to issue an alert. Law enforcement should be aware of available alert networks and their criteria, to rapidly mobilize the public.
IS DPS THE ONLY ALERTING NETWORK?
TV & Radio Taxi Drivers Bus Drivers Towing Companies Gas Stations Trucking Companies Shopping Malls Local Network A local network is a group of organized resources in a single city/county used to alert the public. Convenience Stores Postal/Delivery Services Social Media Governmental Entities Schools Hospitals Law Enforcement Local networks are not available in every city/county.
AMBER Alert Flyer Email Program Law Enforcement Agency DPS Online AMBER Alert Flyer Website Create a local AMBER Alert flyer Public Subscribers (via Email)
Spanish Texas Version Department Available of Public Safety
DPS/TDEM Website Flyer Program Links
Lt. Elizabeth Brown, Amarillo Police Department, (806) 378-3038, Cell (806) 584-2063, Elizabeth.Brown@amarillo.gov. (Blue & Silver Alert Available). 3 Lt. Chuck Fleeger, College Station Police Department (979) 764-3600, cfleeger@cstx.gov. Cell (979) 777-8382. (CART Available). 5 Lt. Patrick McMenamy, Corpus Christi Police Department, Office (36) 886-267, 24/7 Cell (36) 442-345 PatrickM@cctexas.com. 7 Sgt. Karen Kozak, El Paso Police Department, (95) 564-700, Cell (95) 494-7403, KarenK@elpasotexas.gov, 24/7 (95) 832-4400. (Blue/Silver/Endangered Alert Available). 9 Beth Alberts, Houston Regional AMBER Plan, (73) 409-2720, balberts@tcftm.org. Pager (73) 787-7466. (CART Available). 0 David Ostmo, Sinclair Broadcast Group, (20) 377-4734, dostmo@sbgtv.com. 24/7 Cell (20) 347-7896 2 Detective John Graham, Taylor CO Sheriff s Office, (325) 674-300, Cell (325) 669-2992, grahamj@taylorcountytexas.org. (Blue & Silver Alert Available) (CART Available). 4 Pete Baldwin, Travis CO Emergency Management, 24/7 pager (52) 802-472, pete.baldwin@co.travis.tx.us. (Blue & Silver Alert Available). 6 Sheriff Dee Anderson, Tarrant County, (87) 884-3098, sheriffanderson@tarrantcounty.com. 24/7 (87) 884-23 (CART Available). 8 Cpl. Steve LeSueur, Odessa Police Department, (432) 559-0394, If unavailable, contact (432) 333-364 and ask for on-duty watch commander, slesueur@odessa-tx.gov. El Paso Capt. Joe Gilliam, Lt. Trae Mitchell & Lt. Bryan Taylor, Lubbock CO Sheriffs Office, (806) 775-600. JGILLIAM@co.lubbock.tx.us (Blue & Silver Alert Available). 2 Det. Michael Nixon, Beaumont Police Department (409) 880-3865, mnixon@ci.beaumont.tx.us. 3 Sgt. J.R. Price, Waco Police Department, (254) 750-760, jprice@ci.waco.tx.us. (Blue & Silver Alert Available). 4 Sarah Somers, Grayson County, 24/7 (903) 88-7694, somerss@co.grayson.tx.us. 5 Capt. Tony Autrey, Texarkana Police Department, (903) 798-372 & (903) 798-36, tautrey@txkusa.org. 24/7 (903) 798-3876. Hudspeth Dallam Hartley Oldham Deaf Smith Sherman HansfordOchiltreeLipscomb Moore Roberts Hemphill Hutchinson Potter Carson Gray Wheeler RandallArmstrong Donley Collingsworth Parmer Castro Swisher Briscoe Hall Childress Hardeman Bailey Lamb Hale Floyd Motley Cottle Wilbarger Foard Wichita 3 Clay 2 CochranHockley Archer Montague Lamar Lubbock CrosbyDickens King Knox Baylor Cooke Grayson Fannin Red 2 Delta River Bowie 2 Yoakum Terry Lynn Garza Young 3 Titus Kent Stonewall Haskell Jack Wise Denton Collin Hunt Hopkins Throckmorton Cass Camp 8 2 Rockwall Rains Scurry Wood Upshur Marion Gaines Dawson Jones Shackelford Palo Parker Borden Fisher Tarrant Stephens Pinto Dallas 2 3 Kaufman Van Zandt Harrison Hood Gregg Johnson Ellis Smith Andrews Martin Howard Mitchell Nolan Taylor CallahanEastland Erath 2 Somervell Henderson Panola 2 Rusk Navarro Glasscock Hill Loving Winkler Ector Coke Coleman Comanche Bosque Cherokee Midland Sterling Runnels Brown Anderson 2 Shelby Hamilton 5 Freestone Nacogdoches Culberson Ward McLennan San Augustine Crane Mills Limestone Tom Houston Upton Reagan Green Concho Coryell Reeves Irion Leon 2 Falls Angelina Sabine McCulloch San Lampasas Saba 2 Bell Trinity Robertson Jasper Madison Newton Pecos Schleicher Menard Burnet Jeff Milam Polk Tyler Crockett Mason Williamson Brazos Walker Davis Llano San 2 Sutton Burleson Grimes Jacinto Kimble Blanco Montgomery Hardin Travis Lee Terrell Gillespie 2 2 Washington Liberty Orange Bastrop Presidio Kerr Hays 2 Val Edwards Waller Kendall Austin Jefferson Brewster Verde Real Comal Fayette Harris Caldwell Bandera 8 Chambers 4 Colorado Guadalupe Fort Bend Kinney Uvalde Medina Bexar Gonzales Lavaca Galveston 7 6 Wilson Wharton Brazoria 6 DeWitt 4 3 Maverick Zavala Frio Atascosa Karnes Jackson Matagorda Victoria Goliad Calhoun Dimmit La Salle Bee Refugio McMullen Live Oak Aransas San Patricio Jim 2 Webb Wells Nueces Duval 2 Kleberg 6 Melissa Russell, Deep East Texas Regional AMBER Plan, Cell (936) 65-7773, detracoordinator@gmail.com. 7 Lt. Danny Valdez, Wichita Falls Police Department Office (940) 76-7770, danny.valdez@wfpd.net & Sgt. Brian Sheehan, Office (940) 76-778, brian.sheehan@wfpd.net, Dispatch (940) 720-5000, (Blue and Silver Alert Available). Zapata TEXAS REGIONAL AMBER ALERT PROGRAMS Jim Hogg Brooks Kenedy Starr Willacy Hidalgo 20 Cameron 5 Franklin Morris
Local & Regional Networks Could activate faster than the state s network. Provides diverse/non-traditional alerting resources, unique within a community. Alert types offered (Silver, Endangered etc.) might vary. Alert criteria could differ from the state s network. Contact the local/regional alert coordinator for further information. DPS does not manage these networks.
State Network The state network is a group of organized statewide resources, used to alert the public: Available 24/7. Law enforcement requests submitted to the TDEM State Operations Center (SOC) at DPS. Offers AMBER, Blue, Silver & Endangered Missing Persons alerts. DPS reviews all requests prior to alert activation.
WHAT ABOUT THOSE ALERTS I GET ON MY CELL PHONE?
Wireless Emergency Alerts (WEA) Wireless Emergency Alerts (WEA). An initiative of FEMA, FCC & the wireless industry. Established to accommodate the WARN ACT (2006). Presidential, Imminent Threat & AMBER Alerts. WEA capable devices are automatically opted-in.
WEA Message Format Looks like a text message, but isn t one. New technology avoiding network congestion. 90 character limit, to include spaces. Alert Message (vehicle information). City, St AMBER Alert LIC/7CZTJ (TX) 2002 Black Chevy Trailblazer
WHAT IS THE STATE S ALERT CRITERIA?
Silver Alert Documentation Determined on a case-by-case basis by the Texas Department of Public Safety. Prepare ahead of time by obtaining a physician s letterhead (with signature) indicating: Condition. Date of Diagnosis. Patient s Name.
Endangered Missing Persons Documentation Determined on a case-by-case basis by the Texas Department of Public Safety. Prepare ahead of time by obtaining a diagnosis from a physician or psychologist.
Training State: DPS State Operations Center at (52) 424-2208 to schedule a workshop or briefing in your area. Federal: U.S. Department of Justice AMBER Alert Training: Visit www.amber-net.org/training.htm
QUESTIONS