Good Morning Jillian and Everyone,
In Ohio, The Ohio State Highway Patrol handles our AMBER Alerts and Blue Alerts for the State. We have integrated our Amber Alert approval process into a 24/7 operation we call the Hub. In this location we have our main dispatch center, a Watch Desk (staffed by a uniformed command officer) and our Intelligence Unit. All aspects of the Hub are 24/7 and take an active role into pre-identified roles of the any alert. The Watch Desk Commander is the main contact to the entering agency one an alert is received at the Dispatch center. They will also approve the activation of the alert if it meets criteria, and also spool up and other resources at the Hub to facilitate the alert. The Intelligence Unit upon notification and will start accessing and supplying any information available to the alerting agency and Watch Desk Commander. This can be information gained from phone pings, open source, LE databases, APR systems or any other available systems. The Dispatch Center will activate the Emergency Alert System (EAS) is initiated in the indicated regions. The Ohio Law Enforcement Gateway (Ohio Specific Program) Application, which automatically sends out email to media outlets. The 1-877-AMBEROH telephone line is activated. A statewide administrative message teletype is sent out to all law enforcement agencies. Sends a Statewide MCT message to all OSHP troopers, and Statewide and/or regional law enforcement radio broadcast. The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) initiates secondary notifications including Wireless Emergency Alert and Facebook and Ohio Department of Transportation Highway Signs are activated if available in the affected regions by the Watch Desk Commander as well.
Captain Kenneth J. Kocab
Executive Officer – Office of Logistics and Security Services
Statewide Dispatch Management, Fleet Operations, Communications and Support Services
Ohio State Highway Patrol
A Division of the Ohio Department of Public Safety
1970 West Broad Street
Columbus, Ohio 43223
(614) 753-6822 Mobile
(614) 644-2421 Direct line
(614) 752-6602 Fax