Resolution 2010-3, Supports the Silver Alert Support Committee's mission to advance and support the Florida Silver Alert program through effective and efficient practices and eliminate tragic outcomes associated with cognitively impaired drivers, and its efforts to assist both law enforcement and local communities with their efforts to implement these practices.

WHEREAS, fifteen states have implemented a Silver Alert Program, and;

WHEREAS, on October 8, 2008 Governor Charlie Crist signed Executive Order 08-211 enacting Florida's Silver Alert, and;

WHEREAS, more than 4.3 million Florida residents are age 60 and older, and there are 502,631 probable Alzheimer's cases in Florida, and;

WHEREAS, 60% of all Alzheimer's patients are at risk for wandering at least once during the disease process, and;

WHEREAS, the Silver Alert program will help prevent tragedy among one of Florida's largest potentially vulnerable groups, and;

WHEREAS, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE), in coordination with the Florida Sheriff's Association, the Florida Police Chief's Association, the Florida Department of Elder Affairs (DOEA), and the Florida Highway Patrol (FHP) has developed criteria for Florida's Silver Alert Plan, and;

WHEREAS, Silver Alert Support Committee has identified that the most effective response to an activated Silver Alert first leverages community resources for the search while the investigative response is handled by the local law enforcement agency, and;

WHEREAS, the program acknowledges Silver Alerts will be activated through the investigating local law enforcement agency that is in the best position to notify the media and disseminate the information through avenues such as neighborhood telephone alerts and other technology that the agency uses to communicate with its citizens, and;

WHEREAS, the local law enforcement agency may also request a case be opened with the Florida Department of Law Enforcement's Missing and Endangered Persons Information Clearing House under the program,

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that the Florida Police Chiefs Association encourages all to support the Silver Alert Support Committee's mission and objectives. Furthermore that all members actively engage in the Silver Alerts when possible, because the cognitively impaired driver's disappearance poses a credible threat to his or her welfare and safety, as well as that of the communities.

PASSED AND ADOPTED this 27th day of June, 2010 in Miami Beach, Florida at a duly constituted meeting of the Board of Directors of the Florida Police Chiefs Association.