Michigan State Police revise AMBER alert plan, effective January

It could happen anywhere. Every 40 seconds, a child across the U.S. goes missing or is abducted and you get that emergency AMBER alert text.

Now, Michigan State Police are tightening the standards before issuing an AMBER alert and they’re implementing it, fast.

“An AMBER Alert was becoming so commonplace, we wanted to make this very very specific to certain cases,” said First Lieutenant Mike Shaw with the Michigan State Police.

The AMBER alert is being simplified.

Before January 1st in Michigan, the endangered missing person must be under 17 and either suffer from a severe disability that impairs them to care for him or herself, be a victim of kidnapping, be with someone who has a specific criminal history or abducted by their non-custodial parent.

After January 1st, the person being reported should be under 18, abducted while in danger of serious bodily injury or death and there must be enough info to let the public know so they can help with a safe recovery and officers can apprehend the suspect.

“Look at their media sources to get the information that’s provided to help us find these missing children,” said Shaw.

If the missing person doesn’t meet the new criteria, they will be put on the endangered missing advisory and there’s no age restriction.

“This is for ones that don’t actually meet the criteria of an AMBER alert; there was no abduction, they’re over 18. This information will go out just to the region where that person is from,” said Shaw.

Click here for all of the latest details on the revisions to the AMBER alert.