ALABAMA (WIAT) — Effective Friday, Gov. Kay Ivey had signed into law an expanded version of Alabama’s Missing and Endangered Persons Alert.
The expanded version of the alert will now include an adult that has been abducted. Previously, a person must be missing and living with a mental or physical disability, Alzheimer’s disease, dementia or autism and is at risk of bodily harm or death to be reported as a Missing and Endangered Person.
Now, any adult over the age of 18 who has been abducted and is believed to be in danger can be receive a Missing and Endangered Persons Alert.
“We are constantly analyzing our processes and procedures to improve and better serve the citizens of Alabama,” Alabama Law Enforcement Agency Secretary Hal Taylor said in a statement. “Our Fusion Center recognized a need to expand this alert criteria and we are extremely thankful for the support of Governor Ivey and the Legislature, who continuously work with us to enhance the tools and resources we have.”
Alabama Fusion Center Director Jay Moseley said that last year, ALEA launched “CodeRED,” a notification system issued to citizens during emergency situations and missing person cases. To subscribe, Moseley said to text “ALalerts” to 99411 or enroll online at alea.gov.
“We would also like to thank all citizens and local partners throughout Alabama who assist law enforcement by sharing our missing person alerts and those who remain vigilant for these missing individuals,” Moseley said.
The criteria for each missing person alert is as follows:
- Amber Alert: Child under 18 has been abducted and is believed to be in danger of serious bodily injury or death
- Emergency Missing Child Alert: Child under 18 is missing (not abducted) and is believed to be in danger of serious bodily injury or death
- Missing and Endangered Persons Alert: Person is missing, living with a mental or physical disability, dementia, Alzheimer’s disease, or autism, or a person has been abducted and is believed to be at risk of bodily harm or death
- Blue Alert: Peace Officer is missing, injured or killed and the at large suspect is believed to be a serious threat to the public.
None of the alerts’ criteria require a person to have been missing for a certain amount of time.
