52-34.2 - Establishment of the Virginia Amber Alert Program. - Virginia Statutes

§ 52-34.2. Establishment of the Virginia Amber Alert Program.

The Virginia State Police shall develop policies for the establishment ofuniform standards for the creation of Amber Alert Programs throughout theCommonwealth. Amber Alert Programs may be local, regional, or statewide. Theymay include multiple localities or regions and may be expanded or compressed.The Virginia State Police may (i) inform local law-enforcement officials ofthe policies and procedures for the Amber Alert Programs set by the StatePolice; (ii) assist in determining the geographic scope of a particular AmberAlert; and (iii) establish procedures and standards by which a locallaw-enforcement agency may verify a child has been abducted and report suchinformation to the Virginia State Police.

The establishment of an Amber Alert Program by a locality and the media isvoluntary and nothing in this chapter shall be construed to be a mandate thatlocal officials or the media establish or participate in an Amber AlertProgram. Existing Amber Agreements and Programs shall not be altered by theact of assembly creating this chapter.

(2003, cc. 83, 86.)