n October 22, 1997, after a day of playing with his friends, 11-year old Levi Frady headed toward his rural Forsyth County home. It was getting dark but his house was less than a mile away, and he and his trusty bike had made the trip dozens of times. Tragically, on this evening, Levi would not make it home. He was abducted, driven to a neighboring county, and brutally murdered. The next day, his body was found in a wooded area. Law enforcement are still searching for his killer(s).

It is in Levi's memory that the law enforcement community, emergency management, and Georgia's broadcasters have partnered with Levi's family to create Levi's Call: Georgia's Amber Alert. The program is designed to get the word out to the public via radio and television within minutes of a confirmed abduction. Its goal is simple: Locate a child and an abductor expeditiously before any harm comes to the child.

Together, we will answer Levi's Call.


Georgia Board of
Public Safety
  

 

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stablished January 1, 2002, is a voluntary partnership between law enforcement, emergency management, and broadcasters to issue an urgent bulletin in child abduction cases.

Like severe weather warnings, utilizes the Emergency Alert System (EAS) to deliver vital information to broadcasters and the public about a missing child and an abductor.

The Georgia Department of Transportation's Changeable Message Signs located along major highways also are accessed to display descriptive information about a suspect's vehicle.



is an investigative tool that can be activated only by local law enforcement agencies through a request to the Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI).

  When an abduction is confirmed and investigators determine that the case meets "Alert Criteria", the respective GBI regional office should be contacted. (Regional offices can be called directly during business hours, 8:30 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. After hours, on weekends and holidays, contact the GBI Communications Center at 404-244-2600. An operator will locate the on-call agent.)
  The GBI verifies that the use of an alert is justified and works with the local investigator to draft an "Alert Bulletin".
 
   

The bulletin includes:

Description of the child (race, physical attributes, and clothing worn at the time of abduction)

A suspect description

The vehicle in which the two may be traveling

Where the abduction took place and where the child was last seen

A phone number where the public can contact local law enforcement and information
 
  Once the Alert Bulletin is complete, the GBI requests activation through the Georgia Emergency Management Agency (GEMA).
  GEMA transmits the bulletin via the EAS to broadcasters. GEMA, in cooperation with law enforcement, determines whether the alert should be broadcast statewide or regionally.
  Broadcasters are requested to run the alert at least twice the first hour and once every hour for the next three hours.
  Local law enforcement also must supply the GBI with a photograph of the child for dissemination to the media.


efore can be activated, the following "Alert Criteria" must be met:

  There must be a confirmed child abduction
  The circumstances surrounding the abduction must indicate that the child is in imminent danger of harm or death
  The child must be 18 years of age or younger
  There must be enough descriptive information to believe that an immediate broadcast alert will help recover the child
  Request for activation of alert must be made as soon as possible after abduction reported (within four hours of abduction ideal)
  The case must be entered into the National Crime Information Center (NCIC) database

  Non-custodial abductions where no danger exists to the child
  Runaways
   

Over use of Levi's Call will cause the program to be ineffective.