Terms Used In Maryland Code, PUBLIC SAFETY 3-604

  • Adult: means an individual at least 18 years old. See
  • County: means a county of the State or Baltimore City. See
  • Guardian: A person legally empowered and charged with the duty of taking care of and managing the property of another person who because of age, intellect, or health, is incapable of managing his (her) own affairs.
  • including: means includes or including by way of illustration and not by way of limitation. See
  • Person: includes an individual, receiver, trustee, guardian, personal representative, fiduciary, representative of any kind, corporation, partnership, business trust, statutory trust, limited liability company, firm, association, or other nongovernmental entity. See
  • state: means :

    (1) a state, possession, territory, or commonwealth of the United States; or

    (2) the District of Columbia. See
(a) (1) In this section the following words have the meanings indicated.

(2) “Caregiver” means a parent, spouse, guardian, legal custodian, or person responsible for the supervision of another adult.

(3) “Law enforcement agency” means a State, county, or municipal police department or agency, or a sheriff’s department.

(4) “Missing person” means an individual:

(i) whose whereabouts are unknown;

(ii) who suffers a cognitive impairment including a diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease or dementia to the extent that the individual requires assistance from a caregiver; and

(iii) whose disappearance poses a credible threat to the health and safety of the individual due to age, health, mental or physical disability, environment, or weather conditions, as determined by a law enforcement agency.

(b) (1) The Department of State Police shall establish a Silver Alert Program to provide a system for rapid dissemination of information to assist in locating a missing person.

(2) The Department of State Police shall:

(i) adopt guidelines and develop procedures for issuing a Silver Alert for a missing person;

(ii) provide training to local law enforcement agencies on the guidelines and procedures to be used to handle a report of a missing person;

(iii) provide assistance to a local law enforcement agency, as necessary, to assist in the safe recovery of a missing person;

(iv) recruit public and commercial television and radio broadcasters, local volunteer groups, and other members of the public to assist in developing and implementing a Silver Alert;

(v) consult with the State Highway Administration to establish a plan for providing information relevant to a Silver Alert to the public through the dynamic message sign system located across the State; and

(vi) consult with the State Department of Education to develop a program that:

1. allows high school students to assist in the search for a missing person under this section;

2. complies with COMAR 13A.03.02.06; and

3. is consistent with the student service-learning guidelines developed by the State Department of Education.

(c) A caregiver or person filing a report regarding a missing person immediately shall notify the local law enforcement agency with which the report was filed and the Department of State Police if:

(1) the missing person who was the subject of the report is located; and

(2) it is unlikely that the local law enforcement agency or the Department of State Police has knowledge that the missing person has been located.