WHEREAS, in times of emergency, loss of life, particularly the loss of a child's life, may be prevented by providing the public with urgent and timely information; and
WHEREAS, coordinating the services of government, law enforcement, broadcasting agencies, and other entities that communicate with the general public is essential to the most effective dissemination of urgent public information; and
WHEREAS, parts of Missouri have already implemented local alert systems to disseminate public information to aid in the recovery of abducted children; and
WHEREAS, it is desirable to enhance existing local alert systems by providing a system to disseminate alert information statewide through all available means so that the chances of recovering an abducted child unharmed are maximized; and
WHEREAS, an alert system for parts of Missouri that have not implemented local alert systems will ensure that all children in the state are protected and that every member of the public can help in the event of an abduction; and
WHEREAS, a statewide system to notify the public of urgent information by all available means could be utilized, not only in instances of child abductions but also to disseminate public information relating to homeland security, criminal acts, health emergencies, and other urgent dangers to the public health and welfare.
NOW, THEREFORE, I, BOB HOLDEN, GOVERNOR OF THE STATE OF MISSOURI, by virtue of the authority placed in me by the Constitution and the Laws of the State of Missouri, do hereby establish the Alert Missouri System and the Alert Missouri System Oversight Committee.
The Alert Missouri System shall include all state agencies capable of providing urgent and timely information to the public together with broadcasters and other private entities that volunteer to participate in the dissemination of urgent public information. At a minimum, the Alert Missouri System shall include the Missouri Department of Public Safety, Missouri Highway Patrol, Missouri Department of Transportation, Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services, and Missouri Lottery.
The Alert Missouri System shall be available for use by all law enforcement agencies in Missouri whenever there is an abduction involving a credible threat of serious bodily injury or death and sufficient detailed information about the victim, suspect, suspect's vehicle, or other object concerning the abduction to make activation of the system useful. The determination whether these criteria have been met shall be made at the local level by local law enforcement. The Department of Public Safety shall provide a procedure for local law enforcement to trigger the Alert Missouri System by notifying a central point of contact. When triggered, the central point of contact shall forward the alert to the appropriate participants in the Alert Missouri System, including the above named state agencies, local law enforcement, local broadcasters, and other private entities that have volunteered to participate.
The Alert Missouri System Oversight Committee shall have as its members the following: the Director of the Department of Public Safety, who shall serve as its chair; one representative of the Missouri Sheriffs' Association; two representatives of the Missouri Police Chiefs' Association; one representative of the Missouri Highway Patrol; one member of the Department of Health and Senior Services; one representative of small market radio broadcasters; one representative of large market radio broadcasters; one representative of television broadcasters; and any other members the Governor shall hereafter deem to be necessary for proper oversight of the Alert Missouri System.
The Alert Missouri System Oversight Committee shall develop criteria and procedures for the Alert Missouri System. The committee shall regularly review the function of the Alert Missouri System and revise its criteria and procedures to provide for efficient and effective public notification. As soon as practicable, the committee shall adopt criteria and procedures to expand the Alert Missouri system to provide urgent public alerts related to homeland security, criminal acts, health emergencies, and other imminent dangers to the public health and welfare.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand and caused to be affixed the Great Seal of the State of Missouri, in the City of Jefferson, on this 28th day of October, 2002.
[Bob Holden's signature]
Bob Holden
Governor
ATTEST:
[Matt Blunt's signature]
Matt Blunt
Secretary of State
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