For the record, I am NOT questioning the lack of Amber Alert for Libby & Abby at all. I know they didn't qualify. I only mentioned it to explain the vague connection to this thread.
The Amber Alert issued in Gary however is dodgy as fuck & NO-ONE should be defending it.
They KNEW she ran away voluntarily. If they thought she was at risk of self harm it should've been a Silver Alert.
The Amber Alert requirements in Indiana aren't "abducted OR at risk of serious bodily harm", it's
abducted AND at risk of serious bodily harm"
http://www.in.gov/amberalert/2337.htm
They knew of no abduction, they had to imagine the possibility of one &
lie about it to issue that Amber Alert. That's why people in Delphi were so pissed off - they know Gary Police straight out LIED to get an Amber Alert issued & they wanted to know why their girls weren't considered important enough for police to lie for them too (& yeah, I know, even if Delphi Police had been willing to subvert the Amber Alert system like Gary Police did, it wouldn't have helped their girls anyway).
The Gary Amber Alert was dangerous bullshit & those officers should be fucking ashamed of themselves.
How the fuck is anyone who realises what they did supposed to trust that the next Amber Alert they see for a teen isn't just another police scam to get the public to hand over juvenile suspects faster?
They deliberately misused & undermined a trusted child protection system & that should concern EVERYONE.
Edit & Tamra I worked with street kids for years & 100% agree with the first part of your post (& the second for that matter).
The Amber Alert guidelines don't need changing, they're strict for a reason. What they probably need though is serious enforceable penalties for their deliberate misuse by police officers who think rules apply to everyone but them.