What are the criteria for a Silver Alert in Arizona?

According to the Alzheimer's Association, six in ten people with dementia will wander at least once. This makes understanding what are the criteria for a Silver Alert in Arizona a critical piece of knowledge for families and caregivers to ensure prompt action during a crisis.

Quick Summary

The criteria for an Arizona Silver Alert include the missing person being 65 or older or having a developmental/cognitive disability, law enforcement confirming suspicious circumstances and potential danger, exhausting local resources, and possessing sufficient descriptive information for public dissemination.

Key Points

• Age or Disability: For a Silver Alert, the missing person must be 65 or older, or have a qualifying developmental or cognitive disability [2].

• Police Investigation Required: The law enforcement agency must conduct an investigation, exhaust local resources, and determine the person is in danger under suspicious circumstances [2].

• Danger is a Key Factor: Peril can be determined by health, age, environmental conditions, or potentially dangerous company [2].

• Sufficient Information is Necessary: Public alerts require enough descriptive information to be effective [2].

• Upcoming SAFE Alert: As of September 26, 2025, the system will be renamed the 'Seek and Find Emergency (SAFE) Alert' and will cover vulnerable individuals of any age with cognitive disabilities [3].

• Report Missing Persons Immediately: Families should report a missing person to local law enforcement as soon as they realize they are gone to trigger the official process [1].

Understanding Arizona's Silver Alert System

The Silver Alert program is a rapid notification system designed to help locate missing and vulnerable adults who may be disoriented or in danger [1]. Administered by the Arizona Department of Public Safety (DPS), the program works in cooperation with local law enforcement agencies and broadcasters to get information out to the public as quickly as possible [1]. When a Silver Alert is issued, it means that specific, stringent criteria have been met to warrant a widespread public notification via the Emergency Alert System (EAS), wireless devices, and other public channels.

The Specific Criteria for Activation

For a Silver Alert to be activated in Arizona, a requesting law enforcement agency must confirm that specific conditions, established in A.R.S. § 41-1728, have been met [2].

Condition 1: Missing Person's Status

The missing individual must be 65 years of age or older, or have a developmental disability, Alzheimer's disease, or dementia. A developmental disability includes conditions like cognitive disabilities, cerebral palsy, epilepsy, and autism [2].

Condition 2: Law Enforcement Determination

The investigating law enforcement agency must determine that all available local resources have been used, the person went missing under unexplained or suspicious circumstances, and the agency believes the missing person is in danger [2].

Condition 3: Public Information Availability

Sufficient descriptive information must be available to assist in the safe recovery of the missing person [2].

The Role of Law Enforcement and Proactive Measures

Only a law enforcement agency can request a Silver Alert [1]. Reporting a missing person to local police is the first step. Families can help by maintaining current information on vulnerable individuals [1].

Arizona Alert System Comparison

Arizona uses several alert systems [3].

Feature	Silver Alert	AMBER Alert	Blue Alert
Subject	Missing adults 65+ or with developmental/cognitive disabilities [2].	Abducted children under 18 [3].	Suspects who have killed or seriously injured a law enforcement officer [3].
Trigger	Report of a vulnerable missing person meeting specific criteria [2].	Report of a child abduction where credible threat exists [3].	Report of assault on a law enforcement officer with a deadly weapon [3].
Target	Vulnerable adults who may be in danger due to cognitive issues [2].	Children believed to be in imminent danger [3].	The public and law enforcement [3].
Resource	A.R.S. § 41-1728 [2].	State and federal regulations [3].	A.R.S. § 41-1726 [3].

Looking Ahead: The Seek and Find Emergency (SAFE) Alert

Effective September 26, 2025, Arizona's Silver Alert will be renamed the Seek and Find Emergency (SAFE) Alert [3]. The SAFE Alert will include individuals of any age with a cognitive disability and mandates more immediate action and training for law enforcement [3]. More details are available on the official {Link: Arizona Department of Public Safety https://www.azdps.gov/content/azdps-alert-system} website [1].

Conclusion

Understanding the criteria for a Silver Alert helps ensure public assistance for vulnerable individuals [2]. The system, soon transitioning to the SAFE Alert, aims to protect those with vulnerabilities and facilitate their safe return [3].

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the primary age requirement for a Silver Alert in Arizona?

A primary criterion is that the missing person is 65 years of age or older. The alert can also be issued for individuals of any age with certain cognitive or developmental disabilities [2].

Does a missing person with dementia automatically qualify for a Silver Alert?

No, a diagnosis of dementia is part of the qualifying criteria, but law enforcement must also determine that the person is in danger, disappeared under suspicious circumstances, and that local resources have been exhausted before requesting the alert [2].

What kind of resources must law enforcement exhaust before activating a Silver Alert?

Law enforcement must exhaust local resources, which can include checking nearby residences, hospitals, and jails, utilizing cell phone location data, and contacting family and friends [2].

How do I report a missing senior to initiate a potential Silver Alert?

You should immediately call 911 or your local law enforcement agency to report the person missing [1]. Provide as much detail as possible, including a recent photo, description, and the circumstances of their disappearance [1].

Will a Silver Alert be issued if a senior has a history of wandering?

Yes, a history of wandering is a significant factor indicating peril and can strengthen the case for a Silver Alert activation, especially in combination with the other criteria being met [2]. The upcoming SAFE Alert specifically prohibits delays due to prior missing episodes [3].

How will the public receive a Silver Alert notification?

The public can receive Silver Alert notifications through various channels, including the Emergency Alert System (radio and television), Wireless Emergency Alerts (on mobile phones), and sometimes through variable message signs on highways [1].

How is a Silver Alert different from an AMBER Alert?

A Silver Alert is for missing vulnerable adults (65+ or with certain disabilities), while an AMBER Alert is specifically for abducted children under the age of 18 where a credible threat exists [2, 3].