ORILLIA, ON – Ontario’s police force are trying to stress the importance of AMBER alerts.
According to the O.P.P. after this morning’s AMBER alert for the missing young boys in York Region, the various detachments got complaint calls because of the alert.
In a release sent out by the O.P.P.’s headquarters officials had this to say “The decision to utilize the Ontario AMBER Alert is based on established criteria, and is not taken lightly. In 2019, there has been five AMBER Alerts activated. As a direct result of these Alerts, four assisted in the safe return of the child/children and one with the apprehension of a suspect. The OPP recognizes the inconvenience the Alert may have caused, but will not apologize for using all of the tools available to help locate a child.”
The O.P.P. is also extending the reminder that calling 911 or any other emergency service communication centres is “not an appropriate venue to complain about AMBER alerts.”
In April of 2018, the Canadian Radio-Television Telecommunications Commission added compatible wireless networks to the services distributing the alerts.
The only way to not receive the alert is to shut off your phone.