§ 42-28-3.3 - Senior citizen alert.
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 seniorcitizen, the first few hours are critical in finding such senior citizen, andthat the implementation of a Missing Senior Citizen Alert program is necessaryfor the immediate preservation of the public peace, health, and safety.
(b) The division of state police, in consultation with otherappropriate agencies, including without limitation, the Rhode Island departmentof health, shall develop a voluntary partnership among law enforcementagencies, media outlets and other appropriate entities to send out emergencyalerts 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 missingis Rhode Island;
(iii) Whose age at the time he or she is reported missing issixty (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 safetyand health of such person, as determined by the state police or other lawenforcement agency.
(d) The impaired mental condition shall be demonstrated bythe appropriate documentation presented by the missing senior citizen's family,legal guardian, long-term care ombudsman, or long-term care facility where suchperson resides.
(e) The missing senior citizen alert program shall provide apro-active emergency public alert plan as part of the response to thedisappearance of a missing senior citizen that may be expediently triggered bylaw enforcement personnel in accordance with protocols and proceduresestablished by the division of state police in consultation with appropriatelaw enforcement authorities, the Rhode Island emergency management agency, theRhode Island department of health, state and local officials and cooperatingmembers of the broadcast media ("Missing Senior Citizen Alert").
(f) Once a law enforcement agency has confirmed thedisappearance of a missing senior citizen, the law enforcement agency willobtain descriptive information for the missing senior citizen alert, contactthe state police to provide the descriptive information to the state police andidentify a point of contact within its agency.