MADISON, Wis. – Over the holiday weekend, both a Silver Alert and an Amber Alert were issued after a child and elderly man went missing. Both alerts aided local law enforcement in the safe recovery of the missing people.
“Our partnership with local law enforcement agencies, as well as the Department of Transportation (DOT), in issuing these alerts provides them with a vital tool to help them quickly and safely recover someone after they go missing,” said Attorney General Schimel. “Whether it be a child who has gone missing in urban Milwaukee or an elderly man in rural Marquette County, these emergency alerts are instrumental in engaging everyday Wisconsinites and quickly giving them information to help recover people when they do go missing.
In the morning hours on Monday, September 3, two men entered a residence in North-West Milwaukee resulting in the kidnapping of the homeowner’s three year old daughter. The Milwaukee Police Department (MPD) quickly followed a lead, which led the police to an apartment complex where they found the missing child nearby. The child was unharmed and returned to her family.
Subsequently, on Monday evening, a Silver Alert was issued for a 71-year old Marquette County man who went missing earlier that day. Local law enforcement was able to successfully locate the man sitting in his vehicle in a parking lot at a closed building.
Since the start of Wisconsin’s Amber Alert program in 2003, 34 Amber Alerts have been issued resulting in the safe recovery of 45 children.
Wisconsin’s Amber Alert Program is a collaborative partnership between law enforcement agencies, other state agencies, and broadcasters to alert the general public when a child is abducted. Partners to the program include the Wisconsin Broadcasters, Dane County 911, the Wisconsin Department of Transportation, the Wisconsin Lottery, and the Outdoor Advertising Association of Wisconsin. More information can be found at the DOJ Amber Alert Web Site at www.amberalertwisconsin.org
Since Wisconsin’s Silver Alert program was implemented in August 2014, 270 alerts have been issued. Last week a DCI UAV was used in the first known success story of Wisconsin where a UAV played a role in successfully finding a missing person after a Silver Alert was issued. Twice, Wisconsin Department of Transportation dynamic messaging signs on highways have played a role in in a successful Silver Alert recovery. The Wisconsin Lottery has also been a key partner in the Silver Alert program’s success by displaying Silver Alerts on lottery display terminals throughout Wisconsin to both clerks and customers. Multiple Silver Alert success stories have resulted from alerts being displayed on lottery terminals.
The Silver Alert program, made possible after the enactment of 2013 Wisconsin Act 264, notifies the public when an adult with Alzheimer’s, dementia, or other permanent cognitive impairment is missing. The program is administered by the DOJ Division of Criminal Investigation. Silver Alerts are issued when the following criteria are met:
- The missing person is 60 years of age or older;
- The missing person is believed to have Alzheimer’s, dementia, or another permanent cognitive impairment that poses a threat to the individual’s health and safety;
- There is reasonable belief that the missing person’s disappearance is due to the individual’s impaired cognitive condition;
- The Silver Alert request is made within 72 hours of the individual’s disappearance;
- There is sufficient information available to disseminate to the public that could assist in locating the missing person.
Individuals can sign up to receive Silver Alerts at www.wisconsincrimealert.gov
