AWARDS & RECOGNITION

2005 Awards: Innovative Use of Technology

RECIPIENT:
Washington
AMBER Alert 911 Web Portal

Time is the enemy of an abducted child. According to a study conducted by the Washington State Office of the Attorney General, 74 percent of abducted children who are murdered are dead within three hours of the abduction. In 2002, the Washington State Patrol adopted an AMBER Alert Program; however, the notification process was too slow and cumbersome. Law enforcement officials needed an efficient, failsafe method to swiftly distribute information far and wide, yet funding was nonexistent.

"Amber Alert 911 Portal subscribers can now be the eyes and ears to help law enforcement find abducted children. This public/private partnership is proof of how cooperative efforts can create effective solutions that improve government services."
Gary Robinson, Chief Information Officer, State of Washington In response, the Washington State Department of Information Services, the Washington State Patrol and a public/private partnership of states, law enforcement, the broadcast media and private corporations worked cooperatively to develop the AMBER Alert 911 Web Portal: http://www.amberalert911.com:

• The portal automatically and simultaneously distributes the same, up-to-the-minute, real-time information to all law enforcement agencies, broadcasters, highway signs, 9-1-1 call centers, lottery terminals, transit authorities and utility companies, which alert vast numbers of people.
• Individuals can quickly and easily subscribe to the portal to receive alerts.
• The portal notifies subscribers by e-mail, pagers, text-enabled cell phones and faxes, with detailed information and photos of an abducted child, and available information about the kidnapper and vehicle.
• Private corporations support the portal through sponsorships, which cover recurring operational costs, making the system available to states, law enforcement, broadcast media and subscribers at no cost.

Portal subscribers become the eyes and ears to help law enforcement amplify the impact and reach of an alert among a much larger population and across a larger geography.

OTHER NOMINATIONS:
Click on the link to download program submission.

Arkansas
AlertXpress

Arizona
ServiceArizona EZ Service Centers

Michigan
Using Decision Support and Advanced Analytics for Innovative Fraud Detection

Missouri
Department of Conservation Telecheck System

North Carolina
Non-Profit Grants Analysis System

Nevada
DMV Self-Service Cash Kiosk

Oklahoma
OK.gov's Agency Content Management System

Pennsylvania
eGov Driver History Requests

Wyoming
EPortal Common Services Architecture

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