Vancouver, B.C. – The AMBER Alert system is getting a major boost in B.C.

Premier Christy Clark and Justice Minister and Attorney General Shirley Bond  have announced a new government-wide initiative that will see 30,000 civil servants receive AMBER Alerts on their work computers and mobile devices on a 24-hour basis.

"There is nothing to compare with the terror a parent feels when their child goes missing," said Premier Clark. "The AMBER Alert expansion will mean 30,000 extra sets of eyes all over B.C. looking for a child – helping them get back to their families faster, and making this tool more effective so that police can do their job."

The expansion will get information out faster and more widely, helping police to bring children back to their families as quickly as safely as possible. AMBER Alerts will also be spread via the provincial government’s social media sites, including the Emergency Info BC site
and Twitter feed: @EmergencyInfoBC

AMBER Alert is used to seek the public’s help for the safe and prompt return of children. It immediately broadcasts descriptions of the abducted victims, their abductors and suspected vehicles involved.

A total of 12 AMBER Alerts involving 15 children have been activated in B.C. since 2004, the year the program began (an average of two alerts a year). All 15 children were located  and returned safely due to the program’s ability to raise awareness and disseminate vital information.