Saving more missing children is the goal of AMBER Alert Europe’s Police Expert Network on Missing Children Forum 2018, which will take place in Prague next week. The Police Expert Network is the only group in Europe that brings together law enforcement specialists on missing children. The group connects these specialists with each other, enables the exchange of best practices, and demonstrates the latest techniques to save missing children.

“During the Forum, over 50 active law enforcement specialists in the field of missing children, from 20 different countries, will meet and learn from each other,” says Frank Hoen, founder of AMBER Alert Europe. “When a child goes missing and they need support from colleagues in another country, they will know who to call at 3 AM in the morning.”

In addition, participants will discuss real-life missing children cases presented by Europol, Frontex, and by the national police from Spain, Italy, France, Ireland, the Serb Republic, and the Netherlands. They are joined by big data specialists and profiling experts, demonstrating the latest techniques to find missing persons. “In the end, the Forum will save more missing children in Europe,” says Hoen.

A unique network with strong support from EU Member States

AMBER Alert Europe’s Police Expert Network on Missing Children was announced in 2016, under the Dutch Presidency of the Council of the EU. At the Network’s launch, the Dutch Presidency called on every Member State to appoint a national contact for the Network. In support of the Dutch initiative, a majority of 465 Members of the European Parliament from all EU Member States signed AMBER Alert Europe’s Written Declaration for better European cooperation on saving the lives of missing children.

“Since the Network’s launch, the number of participating police experts has grown each year,” Hoen states. “The group has received overwhelming support from other Council presidencies like Slovakia and Malta, and we are grateful for the Czech Republic’s commitment to further strengthen the group as part of their current presidency.”