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Date: 07/21/08 Revision: 06/13/22 Reviewed: 02/24/25 HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY SHERIFF’S OFFICE CHAD CHRONISTER , SHERIFF STANDARD OPERATING PROCED URE Number: GEN 564.01 Page: 1 of 10 SUBJECT: MISSING PERSONS INVESTIGATIONS I. PURPOSE : The pur pose of this standard operating procedure is to provide guidelines for missing persons investigations. II. SCOPE : This procedure shall apply to all law enforcement and communications personnel with the Sheriff’s Office. III. DISCUSSION : The guidelines set forth in this p rocedure shall be used under various circumstances during missing persons investigations. Personnel shall not be limited to these guidelines and shall take all steps which are rea sonable and prudent to bring a missing person s investigation to a successful conclusion. IV. DEFINITIONS : * A. Alzheimer’s Disease - A progressive, degenerat ive disease that attacks and destroys the brain’s nerve cells over a 2 to 20-year period. * B. AMBER Alert - America’s Missing Broadcast Emergency Response Alert System that provides a national network aimed at im mediate notification of law enforcement and the public to enhance investigative efforts directed toward locating a missing child. The missing child must be under 18 years of age ; and the local law e nforcement agency has a well -founded belief , based on an active investigation, the child is in danger of death or serious bodily injury ; and there is a detailed description or photograph of the child, or the abductor or the abductor’s vehicle to broadcast to the public; and the local law enforcement agency recom mends activation. C. Dementia - A group of symptoms caused by a gradual loss of brain cells including , but not limited to: 1. Loss of short -term and /or long-term memory. 2. Poor judgment. 3. Loss of abs tract thinking and problem solving. 4. Other dementing illnesses (Parkinson’s Disease, strokes, etc.). * D. Florida Missing Child Alert - A child must be under 18 years of age ; and the local law enforcement agency has a well -founded belief , based on an active investigation, the child is in danger of death or serious bodily injury ; and there is a detailed description or photograph of the child; and the local law enforcement agency recommends activation. E. Missing Adult - A person 18 years of age or o lder whose temporary or permanent residence is in, or is believed to be in, this state ; whose location has not been determined ; and who has been reported as missing to a law enforcement agency. F. Missing Child - A person younger than 18 years of age who se temporary or permanent residence is in, or i s believed to be in, this state; whose location has not been determined ; and who has been reported as missing to a law enforcement agency. GEN 564.01 06/13/22 Page 2 of 10 G. Missing Endangered Person - the definition includes: 1. A missi ng child . 2. A missing adult younger than 26 years of age . 3. A missing adult 26 years of age or older who is suspected by a law enforcement agency to be endangered or the victim of criminal activity . * 4. A missing adult who meets the criteria for acti vation of the Silver Alert Plan of the Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE) . * 5. A missing adult who meets the criteria for activation of the Purple Alert of FDLE . H. Silver Alert - A person who is 60 years of age or older with a clear indicati on that the individual has an irreversible deterioration of intellectual faculties (i.e. , dementia) ; or under extraordinary circumstances when a person age 18 -59 has irreversible deterioration of intellectual faculties ; and law enforcement has determined t he missing person lacks the capacity to consent ; and that the use of dynamic message signs may be the only way to rescue the missing person . * I. Purple Alert - A missing adult who has a mental or cognitive disability (which is not Alzheimer’s disease or a dementia -related disorder ); an intellectual disability or a developmental disability ; a brain injury ; or another physical, mental, or emotional disability (which is not related to substance abuse ); or a comb ination of any of these. Whose disappearance i ndicates a credible threat of immediate danger or serious bodily harm to himself/ herself, as determined by the local law enforcement agency ; who cannot be returned to safety without law enforcement intervention; and who does not meet the criteria for activ ation of a local Silver Alert or the Silver Alert Plan of FDLE . V. PROCEDURE : A. Florida Statutes 937.021 and 937.0201 require that any report of a child or adult who is missing must be accepted by and filed with the law enforcement agency having jurisdicti on in the county or municipality in which the child or ad ult was last seen. These provisions do not preclude a law enforcement agency from accepting a missing child or missing adult report when agency jurisdiction cannot be determined. B. Missing endangered child - Any missing person u nder 18 years of age : 1. Respond to the scene, meet , and interview the complainant. 2. Request additional personnel, where appropriate (K