Launch of the PEI AMBER Alert Facebook page

Charlottetown - 2010-08-26 - As part of an effort to ensure that any future AMBER Alerts in Prince Edward Island reach as many people as possible, Facebook users can now sign up to receive official Prince Edward Island AMBER Alerts directly to their News Feeds.

AMBER Alert is a partnership between media and law enforcement to provide the public with information which may help in locating an abducted child. In the event of an AMBER Alert in Prince Edward Island, information will be sent out via Facebook at the same time as it is distributed to media outlets.

“The watchful assistance of the people on our community may minimize risk when a child is in danger,” says Justice and Public Safety Minister Doug Currie. “Social media is one more way to ensure future AMBER Alerts in Prince Edward Island reach as many people as possible, as quickly as possible.”

"The service being announced today helps make Prince Edward Island a safer place for children," said Allan Campbell, Minister of Innovation and Advanced Learning. "The investments government has made in Information Technology are paying off - not just in economic growth, but in making the Island a better place for our families."

“We believe the launch of an AMBER Alert system on Facebook is an innovative and collaborative step towards saving children’s lives,” said Joe Sullivan, Facebook’s Chief Security Officer. “While we can only hope that we will never have to issue an AMBER Alert on Prince Edward Island or anywhere else, we’re pleased and proud to work with the many groups who came together to make this happen.”

Prince Edward Island native, Allan McCullough, President of the Child Safety Research and Innovation Center, helped bring Facebook and the Amber Alert team together to better protect PEI children. “Nowhere in the world, other than Canada, can official Amber Alerts be found on Facebook. With the help of Dr. Parry Aftab, WiredSafety.org’s Executive Director (a member of Facebook’s international Safety Advisory Board), we were able to make this a reality.”

Dr. Parry Aftab, Executive Director of WiredSafety.org (one of Facebook’s five international Safety Advisory Board members) said “Law enforcement agencies, especially those on Prince Edward Island, work tirelessly to keep their children safe. Amber Alert was designed to mobilize the entire community to assist law enforcement with valuable information when the unimaginable horror of an abducted child occurs. Facebook, by joining forces with the PEI Amber Alert team has helped law enforcement expand the child protection community by tens of thousands of Facebook users on the Island. Children are safer because of this wonderful initiative."

" Police services and the RCMP on Prince Edward Island are pleased to partner with social media such as Facebook which will bring tremendous assistance in reaching Islanders willing to help in case of an Amber Alert on PEI" says Sgt Denis Morin, committee member for PEI Amber Alert and media officer for the RCMP on PEI.

The AMBER Alert program was launched in Prince Edward Island in 2003. To date, it has never been activated.

The launch of the Prince Edward Island AMBER Alert Page is the result of cooperation between Prince Edward Island’s Police Services, the RCMP, the Province of Prince Edward Island, Facebook, the Child Safety Research and Innovation Centre and WiredSafety.org (a member of Facebook’s Safety Advisory Board). To learn more about the AMBER Alert program in Prince Edward Island, visit the Prince Edward Island RCMP’s information web site: AMBER Alert.

You may be able to help save a child’s life. “Like” the Page now to receive the alerts.

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Prince Edward Island AMBER Alert contacts:

Sgt Barry Arsenault
Summerside Police Services
Tel: 902-432-1201

Cst Darren MacDougall
Charlottetown Police Services
Tel: 902-629-4172

Sgt. Denis Morin
Royal Canadian Mounted Police "L" Division
Tel: 902-566-7160

Child Safety Advocates Contacts:
Dr. Parry Aftab, Executive Director
WiredSafety (member of Facebook’s international Safety Advisory Board)
201-463-8663

Allan McCullough, President
Child Safety Research & Innovation Center
506-623-0300

Issued on behalf of PEI AMBER Alert Committee by:

Sgt. Denis Morin, "L" Division
RCMP Media Relations/Community Policing
GRC Relations médiatiques et communautaires
450 University Ave., P.O.Box 1360, Charlottetown P.E.I. C1A 7N1
tel: 902-566-7160
cell: 902-218-0294
Denis.morin@rcmp-grc.gc.ca