PURPLE ALERT added to help find missing adults with disabilities

Floridians may notice a new color of alert flashing across highway message boards soon.

After several years of development between disability advocates, law enforcement and transportation officials, the PURPLE ALERT will be rolling out into effect as of July 1, 2022.

The alert will be “used to assist in the location of missing adults suffering from mental, cognitive, intellectual or developmental disabilities,” according to the Florida Department of Law Enforcement.

The PURPLE ALERT will join Florida’s SILVER (senior), BLUE (law enforcement) and AMBER (children) alerts. PURPLE ALERTs will apply to people who are 18 years of age or older and do not qualify for a SILVER alert. The missing person must have an intellectual or developmental disability, brain injury or another physical, mental or emotional disability that is not related to substance abuse, Alzheimer’s disease or a dementia-related disorder.

The law enforcement agency initiating the alert also must conclude the person is in danger of bodily harm and they can be returned to safety only through law enforcement intervention. All law enforcement agencies in the State of Florida will receive specific additional training to properly handle individuals with various disabilities in order to return them back home safely without creating a confusing and/or potentially dangerous experience for the disabled individual.

The State of Florida stated that it’s walking the line between making sure people with disabilities have adequate protection, but also making sure that it is not being overly paternalistic with the disability community.