West Virginia Code 15-3B-4 – Activation of Silver Alert
The following criteria shall be met before the State Police activate the Silver Alert:
Terms Used In West Virginia Code 15-3B-4
- Cognitively impaired: means a person having a deficiency in his or her short-term or long-term memory, orientation as to person, place, and time, deductive or abstract reasoning, or judgment as it relates to safety: Provided, That the cognitive impairment is not caused by the use of alcohol or drugs not legally prescribed by a physician. See West Virginia Code 15-3B-3
- Senior citizen: means a person over sixty-five years of age. See West Virginia Code 15-3B-3
- State: when applied to a part of the United States and not restricted by the context, includes the District of Columbia and the several territories, and the words "United States" also include the said district and territories. See West Virginia Code 2-2-10
(1) The person is believed to be cognitively impaired or is a senior citizen;
(2) The person is believed to be missing, regardless of circumstance;
(3) A person who has knowledge that the person is missing has submitted a missing person’s report to the State Police or other appropriate law-enforcement agency;
(4) The missing person may be in danger of death or serious bodily injury;
(5) The missing person is domiciled or believed to be located in the State of West Virginia;
(6) The missing person is, or is believed to be, at a location that cannot be determined by an individual familiar with the missing person, and the missing person is incapable of returning to the missing person’s residence without assistance; and
(7) There is sufficient information available to indicate that a Silver Alert would assist in locating the missing person.