TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — A Purple Alert in Florida is issued when an adult with mental or cognitive disabilities is missing.
The alert was created and signed into law by Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis in 2022.
Here is the full criteria for a Purple Alert:
- The person is 18 or older and does not qualify for a state- or local-level Silver Alert.
- The person has an intellectual or developmental disability, brain injury or another physical, mental or emotional disability that is not related to substance abuse and does not have Alzheimer’s disease or a dementia-related disorder.
- The local law enforcement agency’s investigation concluded the disappearance poses a credible threat of immediate danger or serious bodily harm to the missing person and they can only be returned to safety through law enforcement intervention.
- There is a detailed description of the missing person suitable for distribution.
- The missing person information has been entered into Florida Crime Information Center (FCIC).
- The law enforcement agency of jurisdiction recommends activation.
DeSantis signed a series of law enforcement-related bills this year, one of which included amendments to the Purple Alert policies.
RELATED: What happens during an Amber Alert?
HB 937 was a bill approved to "better align it with the AMBER Alert and Silver Alert programs."
When the bill takes effect on July 1, local law enforcement agencies will be tasked with developing their own policies to determine if a Purple Alert should be issued.
If activated, agencies must contact media outlets, inform all on-duty officers and inform other agencies within their county.
