The Rescue of Elizabeth Shoaf: or Amber Alerts only work if You issue Them

On September 6, Elizabeth Shoaf disappeared while walking home. She was rescued on September 16 after text messaging her mother while her kidnapper left the bunker where he was holding her. No surprise that her was a registered sex offender. There were the usual quotes from local law enforcement like:

“It’s an answer to a prayer,” he [Sheriff Steve McCaskill] said. “We have been working so hard and so diligently hoping for this outcome.

Over 100 volunteers helped in the search over the last week and a half. This is where one would normaly have the obligatory praise of the Amber Alert System. Unfortunately I cannot do that here. You see, the Amber Alert commissioner refused to issue the Amber Alert! His response was:

"If you pull it too often,I'm afraid that it appears you're crying wolf too often, and people will ignore it."

It was apparent from his attitude that he regarded this as a case of a runaway. Either that or he privately thinks it should only be used in the case of pretty blonde damsels in distress. But this was not the case of a runaway. She was allegedly abducted by a registered sex offender posing as a law enforcement officer. At least they caught the guy.
Thanks Amber Alert Commission for a job well done...NOT!!!