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AMBER Alert Scenario-Based Training at Newsplex

Training and Technical Assistance Program

Please register online for training by choosing the date/class number below or by going directly to MyTraining.
**If you go directly to MyTraining, you will need to remember the specific class number you are interested in.**

All dates are subject to change.  Please contact us if you have any questions.

Tuition, lodging (except Federal participants), training materials, and light refreshments will be provided to the participant.  You may register for more than one training opportunity.

Transportation will only be covered for CART non-Federal participants. For all other programs, transportation expense is the responsibility of the participant.  Agencies with a financial hardship may apply for a scholarship to cover the cost of transportation. Final decision making authority rests with Fox Valley Technical College’s AMBER Alert Program Director.  Printable copy of Scholarship Form  Scholarship applications must be submitted immediately after registering and will not be considered if received after participant has been approved for a course.

Acceptance priority will be given to 'in region' participants applying for scholarships, as well as CART programs.

DATES AND LOCATIONS OF ALL PROGRAMS ARE SUBJECT TO CHANGE. Please contact us if you have any questions.

Program Descriptions

A wide range of training and technical assistance is available to support enhancement of the AMBER Alert program.

AMBER and the Media

Target audience: Law enforcement professionals from first responders, public information officers to CEO’s.

Basic Forensic Response to Missing and Abducted Children

This course is designed to enhance the forensic skills of law enforcement professionals responsible for crime scene investigations including missing and abducted children cases. Topics covered include: pre-planning, chain of custody issues/evidence security, crime scene identification and preservation, crime mapping and photography, trace evidence, fingerprints/palm prints, DNA/body fluids, composite sketching/forensic art and electronic evidence. Hands-on, facilitated activities will give the participants a chance to try some of the techniques taught in class.

One module of this program will be devoted to Identi-Kit training. In order to benefit from this training module, if at all possible, participants should bring with them a laptop computer containing Windows 98 or a later version. The participant's department will receive a contract with the Identi-Kit Corporation which will entitle the department to receive a license and free use of Identi-Kit software for six months. As a result of attending this training program, participants will be certified Identi-Kit operators. Length of program is 2½ days.

Target audience: Law enforcement professionals including crime scene specialists, first responders, and investigators.

Canvassing, Search and Recovery Strategies for Abducted Children

This course is designed to provide law enforcement investigative and supervisory personnel with the critical skills on how to conduct effective canvassing investigations and operations, as well as effective search tactics and methods to recover abducted children. This hands-on course of training will be limited to law enforcement personnel who have the responsibilities for conducting canvassing and search operations. Length of course is 3 days.

Target Audience: Law enforcement personnel with responsibilities for conducting and managing search and/or canvassing operations involving missing or abducted children.

Child Abduction Response Team (CART)

The Child Abduction Response Team (CART) training program is a multi-disciplinary approach to responding to a missing or abducted child incident.  Team composition is critical to a CART’s implementation and long-term success.  Commitment from the Chief Executive Officer(s) CEO(s) is required before a team will be reviewed and accepted for placement in CART training. 

Each jurisdiction is different in its approach to responding to missing and abducted children; some jurisdictions have more resources than others, however, the following disciplines are suggested for a “working team”.  Representatives from: law enforcement; legal agencies; probation and parole; communications; victim advocates; social service agencies; emergency management personnel to include fire/rescue and search and recovery units; school resource officers; and other key stakeholders that the CART Coordinator and CEO(s) identify as necessary to a CART’s overall ability to be successful in the recovery of a missing or abducted child incident.

Applications will be evaluated based upon meeting the requirements of the multi-disciplinary team composition; the stated goals and objectives of the team; and the commitment of the team and CEO(s) to launch and maintain a CART. Length of training program is 3½ days.

Target audience: Attendance for this program requires at least 4 team members from varying disciplines, i.e. a team cannot be comprised only of law enforcement, and a recommended maximum of 12 members. Any exceptions require approval of the AMBER Alert Program Director.

Child Abduction Response Team Certification

This training program will involve an actual child abduction exercise to test the proficiency and capabilities of CART programs. Teams will be intensely evaluated in response, policy compliance, operational capacity and overall performance. Teams successfully completing the training,policy compliance standards and other certification requirements will be certified for performance.

This certification is offered on a technical assistance basis.  To request CART Certification, contact 877-71-AMBER or askamber@fvtc.edu.

Target Audience: Attendance will be restricted to teams completing the CART program.

Investigative Strategies for Missing and Abducted Children (ISMAC)

This course is designed to provide law enforcement investigators and investigative supervisors with the information necessary to properly understand, recognize, and investigate cases involving missing and abducted children. Participants will get an overview covering scope and scale issues related to missing and abducted children as well as available resources. Participants will become familiar with how to manage a missing or abducted child case including initial response as well as an overview of interviewing and interrogation techniques. The course then delves deeper as participants explore crime scene evidence collection and processing, profiling suspects, and legal issues including search warrants and interrogation related to a missing or abducted child. Length of program is 4½ days.

Target audience: Attendance should be investigative personnel for law enforcement and other government-related child protection agencies.

Leadership for Missing and Abducted Children (LMAC)

This course is designed for law enforcement managers and executives who make policy-level decisions and influence administration and implementation of AMBER Alert Plans in their agency. Topics that will be covered in this course will include a scope and scale overview of the issues related to missing and abducted children, key components of an AMBER policy and the elements of a comprehensive child recovery plan, how to develop a memorandum of understanding with other agencies, and how to engage or disengage the media on child abduction cases. Case studies will be used to exemplify the course content and participants will have the opportunity to improve their AMBER Alert/child recovery plan through guided facilitation. Length of program is 2 days.

Target audience: Law enforcement managers and executives.

Specialized Investigative Techniques in Child Abduction Cases (SITCAC)

This training program is designed for investigative and supervisory professionals with direct investigative or case management responsibilities and, who have an established foundation and experience in conducting investigations involving abducted, kidnapped, exploited, or murdered children. Participants must have an established experiential base to attend. The course will focus on legal issues, understanding D.N.A. as an investigative resource, and computer forensics issues in child victimization cases. Additional topics include cell phone and cell tower technologies as they relate to these complex investigations; training on the impact of human trafficking in child exploitation and the use of cold case investigative strategies; as well as methodologies for data mining and Fusion Centers information acquisition as a means of investigative lead development.  Length of program is 4 ½ days.

Target audience:  Attendance is restricted to experienced investigative personnel. 

AMBER Alert Scenario-Based Training at Newsplex

Newsplex is a state-of-the-art scenario-based training facility that gives participants a unique hands-on experience dealing with various evolving incidents or unusual events. Newsplex is ideally situated to provide valuable learning experiences for broadcasters who are tasked with issuing or maintaining public AMBER Alerts. Newsplex is operated by the College of Mass Communications and Information Studies at the University of South Carolina in Columbia, S.C.

Newsplex training will provide personal attention to participants through small group exercises, using state-of-the-art media convergence software and equipment. Unique training scenarios are based on actual AMBER Alert cases and are presented using computers and large screens. Participants are encouraged to make critical decisions based on information provided to them.

Participants: This 1-day training is available to the AMBER Alert coordinators, media/broadcast representatives (television, radio, and newspaper), and Public Information Officers. Transportation and lodging will be provided for non-Federal employees. Tuition and training material expenses are covered for all participants.  You may request to be registered for more than one date; however, only one date will be honored.

Location: Columbia, S.C.

Please register online for training by choosing the date/class number above or by going directly to MyTraining.
**If you go directly to MyTraining, you will need to remember the specific class number you are interested in.**

Contact: For more information about the Newsplex training, contact FVTC at (920) 735-2578, or via e-mail at schmidl@fvtc.edu.

If you have any questions or need additional information, please contact us.

Phil Keith, Program Director
AMBER Alert Training and Technical Assistance Program
A U.S. Department of Justice Initiative
Office of Justice Programs
Fox Valley Technical College
401 9TH Street NW
Suite 630
Washington, DC  20004
877-71-AMBER
877-712-6237
920-735-4757 fax
askamber@fvtc.edu