Colorado § 24-33.5-415.7 Amber alert program

Colorado Statutes

§ 24-33.5-415.7 — Amber alert program

Colorado § 24-33.5-415.7

Title 24Government

Art.Public Safety

This text of Colorado § 24-33.5-415.7 (Amber alert program) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Colorado primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook

Colo. Rev. Stat. § 24-33.5-415.7 (2026).

Text

(1)The general assembly hereby finds that, in the case of an abducted child, the first few hours are critical in finding the child. To aid in the identification and location of abducted children, there is hereby created the Amber alert program, referred to in this section as the program, to be implemented by the bureau. The program shall be a coordinated effort among the bureau, local law enforcement agencies, and the state's public and commercial television and radio broadcasters.

(2)For the purposes of this section, abducted child means a child:

(a)Whose whereabouts are unknown;

(b)(I) Whose domicile at the time he or she was reported missing was Colorado; or

(II)About whom credible information is received from a law enforcement agency located in another state that the a

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(1) The general assembly hereby
finds that, in the case of an abducted child, the first few hours are critical in finding
the child. To aid in the identification and location of abducted children, there is
hereby created the Amber alert program, referred to in this section as the
program, to be implemented by the bureau. The program shall be a coordinated
effort among the bureau, local law enforcement agencies, and the state's public
and commercial television and radio broadcasters.

(2) For the purposes of this section, abducted child means a child:

(a) Whose whereabouts are unknown;

(b) (I) Whose domicile at the time he or she was reported missing was
Colorado; or

(II) About whom credible information is received from a law enforcement
agency located in another state that the abducted child is traveling to or in the
state of Colorado;

(c) Whose age at the time he or she was first reported missing was
seventeen years of age or younger, including a newborn; and

(d) Whose disappearance poses a credible threat as determined by local law
enforcement to the safety and health of the child.

(3) The program must consist of the following:

(a) A procedure established by rule that a local law enforcement agency may
follow to verify a child has been abducted. Once the local law enforcement agency
verifies an abduction has occurred, the local law enforcement agency may notify
the bureau.

(b) Upon receipt of a notice of a child abduction from a local law
enforcement agency, the bureau shall confirm the accuracy of the information and
then issue an alert via the state emergency alert system. In the case of an abducted
newborn, the bureau need not have complete identification information on the
newborn in order to issue an alert.

(c) The bureau shall send the alert utilizing technological applications that
promote the largest reach of community notifications. Participating radio and
television stations shall issue the alert at designated intervals as specified in rule.

(d) The alert shall include all appropriate information the local law
enforcement agency has that may assist in the safe recovery of the abducted child
and a statement instructing anyone with information related to the abduction to
contact his or her local law enforcement agency.

(e) The alert shall be canceled upon bureau notification that the child has
been found or at the end of the notification period, whichever occurs first. When
applicable, the bureau shall use the same technological applications described in
subsection (3)(c) of this section. Any local law enforcement agency that locates a
child who is the subject of an alert shall notify the bureau as soon as possible that
the child has been located.

(4) The executive director of the department of public safety shall
promulgate rules in accordance with the State Administrative Procedure Act,
article 4 of this title, for the implementation of the program. The rules shall include,
but need not be limited to:

(a) Procedures for a local law enforcement agency to use to verify whether a
child abduction has occurred and the circumstances under which the agency shall
report the abduction to the bureau;

(b) The process to be followed by the bureau in confirming the local law
enforcement agency's information;

(c) The process for reporting the information to the federal communications
commission's designated state emergency alert system broadcaster in Colorado;
and

(d) Any additional processes concerning implementation of the program.

Legislative History

Source: L. 2002: Entire section added, p. 169, � 1, effective April 1. L. 2003: (2) amended, p. 1877, � 7, effective May 22. L. 2005: (2)(c) and (3)(b) amended, p. 627, � 1, effective May 27. L. 2020: IP(3), (3)(c), and (3)(e) amended, (SB 20-079), ch. 32, p. 106, � 1, effective March 20.