Governor Rell Signs Silver Alert Bill

Governor M. Jodi Rell today announced that she has signed Substitute Senate Bill 451 which allows Connecticut to become the 16th state to adopt a Silver Alert system to help find missing adults with dementia and other cognitive impairments, including Alzheimer’s disease.

“Creating this system will allow law-enforcement officials to broadcast information about a missing elderly or mentally impaired person, in much the same way they do with Amber Alerts when they get missing children reports,” Governor Rell said.  “This law will save lives and help to protect our senior citizens.”

Modeled after the federal Amber Alert system for abducted children, Silver Alert programs create an emergency notification system in which law enforcement agencies broadcast local, regional, or statewide public alerts for missing seniors. Broadcasts may be issued using radio, television, and electronic highway signs.

Establishment of the Silver Alert would also create a Missing Senior Citizen Information Clearinghouse in Connecticut that would be operated by the Department of Public Safety to provide a repository of information regarding missing senior citizens and coordinate public notification, using radio, television, Internet, electronic billboards and other media.

“When an individual goes missing, every second counts,” Governor Rell said.  “The Silver Alert program will expedite the search.”