WILTSHIRE Police have become the first force in the country to sign up to an enhanced Child Rescue Alert system.

The system, run by the NCA (National Crime Agency) and CEOP (Child Exploitation and Online Protection) and managed alongside the charity Missing People, is a partnership between the police, the media and the public when a child goes missing.

It helps in finding youngsters under the age of 18 who are perceived to be in imminent danger of serious harm or death.

The revamped tool – which was officially launched by the Home Secretary, Theresa May, in the House of Lords in May – will allow alerts to be sent out through both social media, the internet, text messages and mobile apps at no cost to the public or to the police.

Pat Geenty, Chief Constable of Wiltshire Police, is the national policing lead for Missing Persons.

He said: “I feel it is appropriate that we are the first force in the country to show our support to what is an extremely critical tool in locating any missing child whose life is considered to be at serious risk.

“The reinvigoration of the alert was essential and means that, if it is ever necessary to activate a Child Rescue Alert in Wiltshire, it gives us the best opportunity to find that missing child as soon as possible. “I would urge members of the local community to sign-up and will be speaking to my colleagues in other organisations within the county to ask they do the same.”

The alerts can now also be localised, ensuring the public receive updates regarding a missing child in their area.

After signing up, every Wilshire Police officer and staff member with a work mobile phone will automatically receive a text message whenever a Child Rescue Alert is activated.

Angus Macpherson, Police and Crime Commissioner, said: “In the very unlikely event of a child going missing in Wiltshire, I know that everyone would want to play their part to ensure the safe return of the child.

“With so many of us now owning smart phones, it makes perfect sense for the Chief Constable to sign up to the new child rescue alert system, ensuring a message is sent not only to police officers but police staff via their work mobiles.”

Karen Robinson, head of partnerships and development at the charity Missing People, said: “We hope this will set a helpful precedent for other police forces, agencies and members of the public to do the same.”

Johnny Gwynne, NCA director of CEOP Command, said: “When a child is abducted, it is vital that as many people as possible are rapidly on the lookout, and the law enforcement community has a central role in raising both awareness and take-up of the tool."

For more details and to sign up to the system, visit www.childrescuealert.org.uk/register.