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The Branson Police Department is asking for people to sign up for its local alert system. The Abduction Child Alert system is similar to the Amber Alert System, but isn't limited to just finding abducted children. KSMU's Emily Nash has more.
The Abduction Child Alert System, or ACA, works a lot like the Amber Alert System, with a few major differences.
The ACA specifically alerts local residents within 100 miles of Branson any time a person goes missing, whether it is a child or an adult.
Matt Gregory is a community relations director for the Branson Police Department.
He says since it started in 2002, the system hasn't had to be used to find abducted children.
Instead it's used to find other missing people who don't fit the Amber Alert criteria.
"When we have had senior citizens walk away from a nursing home, or times when we have had a runaway juvenile that didn't necessarily meet the Amber Alter criteria."
When a child is abducted or someone is missing, the Branson Police Department will send out descriptions and information electronically to people or organization who choose to be on the ACA list.
You have to register to receive ACA alerts.
Gregory says the ACA relies on people signing up for the alerts.
"We can have law enforcement agencies on the list, we can have schools on the list, radio stations, we can have, but if we get joe public, who is going down the roads less traveled, you know more eyes are better in helping us locate a child, or anyone that is missing for that matter."
To receive ACA alerts, we have a link to the Branson Police Department web site at KSMU.org.
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