MISSING SENIOR CITIZEN ALERT – Also known as SILVER ALERT

Rhode Island State Police has established protocols and procedures to assist law enforcement agencies, broadcast media and other cooperating agencies or entities in providing an emergency alert to the public in response to a missing senior citizen disappearance.

The program is only activated by law enforcement and is intended only for those incidents in which a senior citizen or person with requisite documentation or diagnosis is missing AND whose disappearance poses a realistic threat to their safety and health.

Rhode Island State Police is the only agency that can activate a Silver Alert and will do so ONLY at the request of an investigating law enforcement agency. It is then the responsibility of State Police to determine whether criteria is met and there is sufficient and identifying data to justify a Silver Alert activation.

Rhode Island Criteria for Silver Alert

The following criteria must be met before a Missing Senior Citizen Alert, commonly known as Silver Alert can be activated. A Missing Senior Citizen;

1. Whose whereabouts are unknown;
2. Whose age at the time he or she is reported missing is sixty (60) years of age or older, or is a person with a diagnosis of dementia;
3. Who has an impaired mental condition;
4. Whose disappearance poses a credible threat to the safety and health of the missing person, as determined by State Police;
5. The impaired condition(s) shall be demonstrated by the appropriate documentation presented by the missing senior citizen’s family, legal guardian, long-term care ombudsman, or long-term care facility where person resides

Law Enforcement Responsibilities

1. Enter information into the National Criminal Information Center system
2. Initiate a statewide broadcast to all appropriate law enforcement agencies
3. After completing investigation contact State Police to request alert
4. If activation approved, forward alert form with all required information and photo of missing
5. Once the missing person has been located, the law enforcement agency will notify State Police, who will cancel the alert and notify the local media