Title
To recognize January 13 as National AMBER Alert Awareness Day in the City of Columbus and to honor Pastor Charles Williams for his contribution to the AMBER Alert.
Body
WHEREAS, United States Department of Justice marks January 13 as National AMBER Alert Awareness Day, 2008 commemorating 12 years of successful returns of abducted children to their families; and
WHEREAS, the AMBER Alert Program is a voluntary partnership between law-enforcement agencies, broadcasters, transportation agencies, and the wireless industry, to activate an urgent bulletin in the most serious child-abduction cases; and
WHEREAS, the goal of an AMBER Alert is to instantly galvanize the entire community to assist in the search for and the safe recovery of the child; and
WHEREAS, AMBER Alert programs have helped save the lives of over 350 children nationwide; and
WHEREAS, the AMBER Alert was created in 1996 as a powerful legacy to 9-year old Amber Hagerman, a little girl, who was kidnapped and murdered while riding her bicycle in Arlington, Texas; and
WHEREAS, Pastor Charles Williams suggested that the media interrupt all broadcasts of television and radio with special alerts as soon as they are made aware of the abduction so that such incidents could be prevented in the future; and
WHEREAS, Pastor Williams' contribution to his community in Texas was a catalyst for the creation of the AMBER Alert nationwide; and
WHEREAS, through his novel thinking and decisive action, Pastor Williams has helped hundreds of families across the country; now, therefore
BE IT RESOLVED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF COLUMBUS:
That the Columbus City Council recognizes January 13 as National AMBER Alert Awareness Day in the City of Columbus and honors Pastor Charles Williams for his contribution to the AMBER Alert.