Early in 2016, New Jersey Governor Chris Christie signed legislation that requires the Attorney General to establish a Missing Vulnerable Persons (MVP) Emergency Alert System for missing children and adults with intellectual or developmental disabilities. The system will function like the existing Amber Alert (for children) and Silver Alert (for elderly individuals with dementia) public notification systems already in use.
The new MVP Emergency Alert System – a voluntary, cooperative effort between State and local law enforcement agencies and the media –will provide practices and protocols for a Statewide system for the rapid dissemination of information regarding a missing vulnerable person.
The law defines a “Missing Vulnerable Person” as a person who is believed to have a mental, intellectual, or developmental disability and goes missing under circumstances that indicate that the person may be in danger of death or serious bodily injury.
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