MONTGOMERY, Ala. — An updated set of criteria for Alabama's Missing and Endangered Person Alert system went into effect Friday, Sept. 1, and now includes adults that may have been abducted.
Previous versions of the criteria stated that an adult person must be missing and living with a mental or physical disability, Alzheimer's disease, dementia or autism, and be at risk of bodily harm or death.
The new guidelines include any adult aged 18 or older who has been abducted and is believed to be in danger.
Alabama Law Enforcement Agency Secretary Hal Taylor said, “We are constantly analyzing our processes and procedures to improve and better serve the citizens of Alabama. Our Fusion Center recognized a need to expand this alert criteria.”
The Alabama Fusion Center is a unit within ALEA's State Bureau of Investigation and is responsible for issuing the alerts covered under this criteria. Only a law enforcement agency can request to activate a state alert and each program has specific criteria, which are 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 has not been abducted, but is missing and 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.
In addition to public media outlets, Alabama residents can subscribe to receive any of these alerts by texting ALALERTS to 99411. You can also enroll online.
