FAQs
- The missing person is a child under 18 years of age
- There is clear indication of an abduction
- Law Enforcement Agency's Investigation has concluded the child's life is in danger
- There is a detailed description of the child and/or abductor/vehicle to broadcast to the public
How do I report a missing person?
To report a missing person, please contact the Osceola County Sheriff's Office at 407-348-2222. To aid in the recovery of a missing person, law enforcement staff will ask you questions about the missing individual and any information about their last known location and circumstances.
Is there a waiting period before I can report someone missing?
No. You may make a missing person report whenever you realize someone is missing.
What is the extent of the missing person problem?
Each year, over 600,000 individuals go missing in the United States. Fortunately, most are quickly found, alive and well. However, tens of thousands of individuals remain missing for more than a year – what many agencies consider “cold cases.” On any given day in the United States, there are approximately 90,000 active missing person cases in the National Crime Information Center (NCIC). Any information you can provide about a missing person's whereabouts is essential to helping law enforcement locate them in good condition.
What are AMBER Alerts, and how do they work?
The AMBER Alert System began in 1996 when Dallas-Fort Worth broadcasters teamed with local police to develop an early warning system to help find abducted children. AMBER stands for America's Missing: Broadcast Emergency Response and was created as a legacy to 9-year-old Amber Hagerman, who was kidnapped while riding her bicycle in Arlington, TX. Other states and communities soon set up their own AMBER plans as the idea was adopted across the nation.
AMBER Alerts are issued in Florida if:
A Law Enforcement Agency must activate the AMBER alert. This is done by the agency calling the Florida Department of Law Enforcement's Missing Endangered Persons Information Clearing House (MEPIC). The Agency will work with FDLE to determine if the broadcast will be issued regionally or on a statewide basis, and FDLE will ensure the information is broadcast through the Emergency Alert System, posted to highway signs, and sent via text messages and email through the appropriate distribution lists.
If you have any questions about the Florida Amber Plan, please contact the Missing Endangered Persons Information Clearinghouse at 1-888-356-4774 or http://www.fdle.state.fl.us/MCICSearch/