§ 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.)