BOUNTIFUL -- Utah's Amber Alert Coordinator Paul Murphy, a Bountiful resident, has been named the national 2007 Amber Alert Coordinator of the Year award recipient. The award will be given on Friday in Washington, D.C.

Each year, the Department of Justice commemorates national Missing Children's Day with a ceremony that honors the exemplary efforts of agencies, organizations and individuals that go above and beyond the call of duty to protect children.

Woods Cross Police Chief Paul Howard, a member of the Utah Amber Alert Advisory Committee nominated Murphy for the award.

"Utah's Amber Alert Program is one of the finest programs in the nation because of Paul Murphy's dedication," Howard said, adding Murphy deserves the recognition for developing statewide AMBER Alert training and the Endangered Person Advisory.

Of receiving the honor, Murphy said, "This honor really belongs to everyone who said yes. The countless broadcasters, law enforcement officers, transportation workers and ordinary citizens who said, 'Yes, I can do something more to bring abducted children home safely.'"

Utah Attorney General Mark Shurtleff, Murphy's employer said, "The biggest reward with the AMBER Alert is always saving a child. However, this honor is a nice way to recognize the hard work that began five years ago in our office to bring the AMBER Alerts to Utah."

Utah was the ninth state to have a statewide AMBER Alert Plan, when it was launched in 2002. Here are some distinctions about Utah's AMBER Alert Plan:

- First to send alerts by cell phone, pager and e-mail.

- First to use a special communications system to alert big rig truckers.

- One of the first to use highway message signs for AMBER Alerts.

- First to develop the Endangered Persons Advisory, a plan to notify law enforcement and the media in cases that don't meet the criteria for an AMBER Alert.