An AMBER Alert is a provincial emergency broadcast that quickly alerts the public of a suspected child abduction. If an incident meets established criteria, DRPS will request that the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) issue the AMBER Alert.
It is important to note: an AMBER Alert is not appropriate in every incident of a missing child.
To ensure that the alerts continue to be effective, they must meet the following criteria to be issued:
- police have confirmed that an abduction has taken place; and
- the victim is a child, or a person of proven physical or mental disability; and
- there is reason to believe the victim is in danger of serious physical injury; and
- there is information available that, if broadcasted to the public, could assist in the safe recovery of the victim
There are specific criteria which must be met in order for an Amber Alert to be issued. The authority to issue an Amber Alert comes from the Missing Persons Act, 2018 (view here).
6.1 (1) An officer may request that the Ontario Provincial Police issue a vulnerable persons alert if,
(a) the officer believes a missing person is a vulnerable person;
(b) the officer has descriptive information about the vulnerable person or about another person who may reasonably be expected to have information about the whereabouts of the vulnerable person; and
(c) the officer has reasonably grounds to believe that a vulnerable persons alert will assist in located the missing person.
In 2023, Bill 74 (view here) provided amendments to the Act, including the definitions of a vulnerable person.
A “vulnerable person” means a person who, because of their age, a disability or other circumstances, whether temporary or permanent,
- Is in a position of dependency on others, or
- Is otherwise at a greater risk than the general population of being harmed by a person in a position of trust or authority towards them.