CHEYENNE (AP) - An early version of a child-abduction alert system will likely be operating in Wyoming by the end of the year, state officials said Thursday.

"It goes without saying that timing in a child-abduction case is absolutely crucial," said Kurt Dobbs, director of the Wyoming Division of Criminal Investigation.

"An Amber Alert system exponentially increases the number of people on the lookout for an abductor, which in turn increases our chances of catching them quickly."

Amber Alerts are bulletins on abducted children and their captors quickly sent to law-enforcement agencies and the public through radio and television broadcasts and electronic highway signs. They are named after Amber Hagerman, a 9-year-old abducted in Arlington, Texas, and later found murdered.

Wyoming is one of five states without an Amber Alert system.

The state's program is a cooperative effort among local and state law enforcement agencies, the National Weather Service, the Wyoming Department of Transportation and the Wyoming Association of Broadcasters.

Wyoming will be using national standards in judging when to activate an Amber Alert, officials said.

First, a local law enforcement agency must confirm that an abduction of a child 17 or younger has taken place. Then it must be determined whether the child is in danger of serious bodily harm or death. Also, a sufficient description of the child, abductor or vehicle used must be available.

When local law enforcement determines those conditions have been met, they will request that DCI initiate an Amber Alert. The state police agency will then contact the weather service, which will distribute the alert to Wyoming broadcasters using the same process used to send severe weather statements.

DCI will also post information on state Web pages.

New message signs being constructed on Interstate 80 between Cheyenne and Laramie are expected to be operating by fall 2004, WyDOT officials said.

The signs will eventually carry Amber Alerts along with weather and road conditions and other useful information for travelers.