Who issues the AMBER alert for a missing child?

The correct answer identifies the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation (TBI) as the agency responsible for issuing AMBER alerts in the state. The TBI is tasked with coordinating the AMBER Alert system, which is designed to quickly disseminate information about abducted children in order to enlist the public's help in locating them. This prompt response is critical for the safety of the missing child, and the TBI collaborates with local law enforcement and other entities to ensure the alert is issued swiftly and effectively.

While other agencies, such as the FBI or the Department of Justice, may play significant roles in broader investigative efforts or in AMBER Alert implementation at the national level, it is the TBI in Tennessee that directly issues alerts based on specific criteria being met, including the belief that the child is under 18 and has been abducted. Local police departments often initiate the process by notifying the TBI when an abduction occurs, but the formal issuance of the alert comes from the TBI itself.