TITLE 42
State Affairs and Government
CHAPTER 42-28
State Police
SECTION 42-28-3.3
§ 42-28-3.3 Senior citizen alert.
(a) The general assembly hereby finds that, in the case of a missing senior
citizen, the first few hours are critical in finding such senior citizen, and
that the implementation of a Missing Senior Citizen Alert program is necessary
for the immediate preservation of the public peace, health, and safety.
(b) The division of state police, in consultation with other
appropriate agencies, including without limitation, the Rhode Island department
of health, shall develop a voluntary partnership among law enforcement
agencies, media outlets and other appropriate entities to send out emergency
alerts entitled the "Missing Senior Citizen Alert Program."
(c) For purposes of § 42-28-3.3 and § 42-28-3.4, a
"Missing Senior Citizen" means a person:
(i) Whose whereabouts are unknown;
(ii) Whose domicile at the time he or she is reported missing
is Rhode Island;
(iii) 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;
(iv) Who has an impaired mental condition; and
(v) Whose disappearance poses a credible threat to the safety
and health of such person, as determined by the state police or other law
enforcement agency.
(d) The impaired mental condition 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 such
person resides.
(e) The missing senior citizen alert program shall provide a
pro-active emergency public alert plan as part of the response to the
disappearance of a missing senior citizen that may be expediently triggered by
law enforcement personnel in accordance with protocols and procedures
established by the division of state police in consultation with appropriate
law enforcement authorities, the Rhode Island emergency management agency, the
Rhode Island department of health, state and local officials and cooperating
members of the broadcast media ("Missing Senior Citizen Alert").
(f) Once a law enforcement agency has confirmed the
disappearance of a missing senior citizen, the law enforcement agency will
obtain descriptive information for the missing senior citizen alert, contact
the state police to provide the descriptive information to the state police and
identify a point of contact within its agency.
History of Section.
(P.L. 2008, ch. 444, § 1; P.L. 2008, ch. 472, § 1; P.L. 2009, ch.
116, § 1; P.L. 2009, ch. 145, § 1.)