Lakewood Police Department Policy and Procedure Emergency Alert System (EAS)		Effective Date: 01/05/2023
	Policy Number: PP-9042 - Emergency Alert Systems (EAS)

A. Policy 
  
The Emergency Alert System (EAS) and Wireless Emergency Alert System (WEA) are available and may be used to disseminate emergency information in the Denver Metro Area.  Once activated, the information is disseminated via cell phone, local radio and television, including cable television systems in Lakewood. The National Weather Service (NWS) is responsible for weather related activations and the Colorado Bureau of Investigation (CBI) is responsible for Amber Alert, Missing Senior Citizen Alert, Disabled Persons Alert, BLUE Alert, Medina Alert, and Missing Indigenous Persons notifications. For any other Emergency Notifications: such as a Civil Emergency or a Hazardous Material Situation contact Jeffcom Communication Center for assistance.  
 
B. Procedure

1. Contact the Jeffcom Communication Center Staff to request an activation of the EAS. Jeffcom personnel will assist on-scene personnel by notifying CBI of immediate alerts, making entries into NCIC/CCIC, putting out BOLO’s, and making other notifications as requested.

2. Provide the Communication Center Staff with required information: 

a. Verification of agency and person requesting. Alert criteria have been met.  

b. Incident/situation details and descriptions.

c. Timely Cancellations 

3. Jeffcom Communication Center or CBI will launch the emergency message over the Emergency Alert System under a defined notification period. Upon cancellation, Alert recipients will be notified.

4. Amber Alert

The purpose of an AMBER Alert is to rapidly disseminate information regarding a suspect and a child to law enforcement agencies, as well as to the public when a child has been abducted. Amber Alert Criteria:

a. The child must be 17 years of age or younger. 

b. The child must be in immediate danger of serious bodily harm or death. 
c. There must be enough descriptive information to believe a broadcast will assist or help in the recovery. Provide any pertinent updated information to the Amber Alert authorities, including any cancellation of information. 

d. The activation must be requested by local law enforcement agency having jurisdiction to include:

(1) Any information about the abductor

(2) Information on the child

(3) Mode of transportation

(4) Direction of travel

(5) Any further information regarding the abduction

5. Missing Senior or Disabled Person Alert

Originally an extension of the Amber Alert Program, the purpose of a CBI MISSING PERSONS ALERT is to rapidly disseminate information that a senior citizen or person with a dementia disease and related disability is missing and has a verified impaired mental condition, or a person with documented developmental disabilities is missing, to law enforcement agencies, as well as to the public.

a. Program Criteria:

(1) "Missing person with a dementia disease and related disability" means a person:

(a) Whose whereabouts are unknown;

(b) Whose domicile at the time he or she is reported missing is Colorado;

(c) Who has a dementia disease or related disability, as defined in section 25-1-502 (2.5) CRS; and

(d) Whose disappearance poses a credible threat to the safety and health of the person, as determined by a local law enforcement agency.

2) "Missing person with developmental disabilities" means a person:

(a) Whose whereabouts are unknown;

(b) Whose domicile at the time he or she is reported missing is Colorado;

(c) Who has a verified developmental disability; and
(d)Whose disappearance poses a credible threat to the safety and health of himself or herself, as determined by a local law enforcement agency.

3) "Missing senior citizen" means a person:

(a) Whose whereabouts are unknown;

(b) Who went missing while in Colorado;

(c) Whose age at the time he or she is first reported missing is sixty years of age or older and who has a verified impaired mental condition; and

(d) Whose disappearance poses a credible threat to the safety and health of the person, as determined by a local law enforcement agency.

b. When LPD receives notice that a senior citizen or person with a dementia disease and related disability is missing, the agent will require the person's family or legal guardian to provide documentation of the person's impaired mental condition. 

 

c. When LPD receives notice that a person with developmental disabilities is missing, the agent will require the family, legal guardian, or service provider of the missing person with developmental disabilities to provide documentation of the person's developmental disability. 

 

d. Documentation confirmation indicates that law enforcement has received a signed statement from a family member, close friend, caregiver, doctor or person at a medical facility verifying the missing senior has an impaired mental condition.

 

e. Once LPD verifies documentation and that the person with dementia disease or developmental disabilities is missing, the agent will cause the notification of CBI to issue an alert. Information provided to CBI will include:

(1) Information on the missing person

(2) Location, date and time last seen

(3) Vehicle, License Plate

(4) Any further information regarding the incident

6. BLUE Alert

The BLUE Alert Program is designed to notify the public immediately of the imminent danger posed by suspect(s) who have killed or seriously injured a peace officer. This notification will provide instruction to citizens to contact their local law enforcement agency with any information and provide a warning that suspect(s) are dangerous and they should not attempt to apprehend suspect(s).

a. Upon verification that a peace officer has been killed or received a life-threatening injury in Lakewood and the suspect(s) have fled the scene of the offense, LPD (or through Jeffcom) may notify the Colorado Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and request a BLUE Alert broadcast.

b. CBI will:

(1) Verify accuracy through personal confirmation contact with LPD representative.

(2) Receive all appropriate information from the reporting agency that may assist in the apprehension of the suspect(s).

(3) Verify “peace officer” status and “life-threatening injury”.

(4) Issue BLUE Alert to media and other Colorado outlets.

(5) Issue re-broadcasts updating any additional information.

(6) LPD must contact CBI to deactivate the alert upon capture of the suspect(s) or at the end of determined notification period. CBI will notify participating media of cancellation.

7. Medina Traffic Alert

When the driver of a motor vehicle is involved in a collision resulting in death or serious bodily injury (substantial risk of death, permanent disfigurement, or substantial risk of protracted loss or impairment of function of any part or organ of the body including breaks, fractures, or second or third degree burns) and fails to stop at the scene of the collision. LPD (or Jeffcom) may contact the Colorado Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and request a Medina Alert be issued. The alert is designed to facilitate the immediate apprehension of the suspect.

a. CBI will:

(1) Verify that the information meets the criteria of “Hit and Run” and “Serious Bodily Injury”

(2) Ensure that sufficient information exists concerning the suspect or the suspects vehicle, including:

(a) A complete license plate number of the suspect’s vehicle and the make, style, and color of the vehicle or,

(b) A partial license plate number and the make, style, and color of the vehicle or,

(c) The identity of the suspect.

(3) Issue a “Medina Alert” to media outlets designating the notification period and requested broadcast intervals.

(b) A law enforcement agency contacting or apprehending the suspect of a Medina Alert shall notify CBI of the cancellation. CBI will cancel the alert to broadcasters upon the apprehension or at the end of the alert notification period.

8. Missing indigenous Persons Alert (MIPA)

Definitions:

“Indigenous” means having descended from people who were living in North America prior to the time people from Europe began settling in North America, being an enrolled member of a federally recognized Indian tribe or being a lineal descendant of a tribally enrolled parent or guardian.

 

“Missing or murdered indigenous relative” means any missing or murdered indigenous person.

a. The CBI will be responsible for the issuance of all alerts at the request of local law enforcement, federally recognized tribes or any governmental agency that may be involved in the search or recovery of the missing person.   

b. The criteria include the following:

(1) The missing person must have an active entry in CCIC/NCIC.  

(2) The person must be Indigenous. (The CBI will accept whatever information can reasonably be provided.)

(3) There must be enough information available to believe that the issuance of an alert will aid in the recovery of the missing person.

c. A law enforcement agency that receives a report of a missing Indigenous person is required to notify the CBI within eight hours of a report of a missing adult or within two hours of a report of a missing child. 

d. If an incident involves an abducted Indigenous child, a statewide AMBER Alert will be issued if the alert criteria are met. 

e. LPD must notify CBI as soon as possible when an indigenous missing person who is the subject of an alert has been located. CBI will cancel the alert when notified that the person has been found or at the end of the prescribed notification period.

C. Rule

Training on issues related to missing or murdered indigenous person investigations will be included in the recruit academy curriculum and in annual in-service training programs.

PP-9044 - JAC Transport