AMBER Alert Program

The Montana Department of Justice implemented a similar program in Montana in 2003.

AMBER Alert Notification

Should a child abduction in Montana meet the alert criteria, the Montana Department of Justice will issue an AMBER alert through CodeRED.
The alert will:

• provide detailed information about the abduction, the missing child, and any possible suspect information
• notify law enforcement, television and radio stations, and others of the abduction
• launch an alert to wireless cell phones when possible, and
• the public can receive alert information and updates if they sign-up for the free CodeRED application at https://www.onsolve.com/solutions/products/codered/mobile-alert-app/codered-mobile-apps-download/

Montana AMBER Alert Criteria

To initiate an AMBER Alert, call 9-1-1 and provide your local law enforcement agency with all the information you can about a suspected child abduction. To activate the program, all of the following criteria must be met:

• There is reasonable belief by law enforcement that a child has been abducted or has disappeared under suspicious circumstances.
• The missing child is age 17 years or younger, or has a proven mental or physical disability.
• The law enforcement agency believes the child is in imminent danger of serious bodily injury or death.
• There is enough descriptive information about the victim and abduction for law enforcement to issue an AMBER Alert to assist in the recovery of the child.
• The child’s name and other critical data elements, including the Child Abduction flag, have been entered into the National Crime Information Center (NCIC) computer.

The AMBER Alert system is not used to track runaways, missing children or children involved in custody disputes. The program is restricted to child abduction cases that could be life threatening.

Support for AMBER Alert

Montana’s radio and television stations, law enforcement agencies, the Montana Department of Transportation, the Montana Lottery, and the National Weather Service voluntarily participate in the Montana AMBER Alert program. The Montana Broadcasters Association, Montana Association of Chiefs of Police, and Montana Sheriffs and Peace Officers Association deserve a special thanks for establishing the program.