Texas DPS Recognizes National AMBER Alert Day

AUSTIN, TX — The Texas DPS recognizes January 13 as National AMBER Alert Day.  The AMBER Alert system and the Statewide Alert Program is important to Texans in finding missing children and helping law enforcement solve cases.

"Looking out for one another—especially our children—is second nature to Texans," said DPS Colonel Freeman F. Martin. "Thanks to tips from the public during AMBER Alerts, many children have been safely returned to their families. On National AMBER Alert Day, and every day, we encourage everyone to stay alert and help protect our communities."

According to a release, in 2024, DPS issued 47 AMBER Alerts in Texas. 

AMBER Alerts stand for "America’s Missing: Broadcast Emergency Response" and are issued for child abductions. The system was named after Amber Hagerman, a 9-year-old girl who was abducted and murdered in Arlington, Texas, in 1996.

After Amber’s death, law enforcement and local media created the first AMBER Alert program in the Dallas/Fort Worth area, later expanding it across Texas and the rest of the country. In 2002, Governor Rick Perry established the state’s AMBER Alert network, and in 2023, Governor Greg Abbott signed legislation allowing local areas around Texas to activate the system in certain cases.

The Statewide Alert Program also includes other alerts, like Silver Alerts for missing seniors, Blue Alerts for injured or killed law enforcement officers, and Endangered Missing Persons Alerts for people at risk. The program also includes CLEAR Alerts for people with mental health issues, Power Outage Alerts, and Active Shooter Alerts.

When an alert is activated, the DPS advises Texans to pay attention to any information on highway signs, phone alerts, TV broadcasts, and social media.

Alerts remain active until the investigating agency either finds the missing person or decides the alert is no longer necessary. Once it is canceled, the alert is marked as "Found" or "Discontinued," but this is only temporary until the agency confirms what happened.