February 22, 2015
The bill is sponsored by Senator James Beach (D-Camden). Working under the name the Gold Alert System, law enforcement would issue a specific alert when someone with said disabilities is reported missing if the bill goes through.
The article quotes Katie Macklin, executive director of the Delaware Valley Alzheimer’s Association, who says that wandering is a common behavior for people with disabilities and puts those people at a special risk to go missing.
Beach told The Courier Post the bill would provide an important service:
“Creating an alert system that would assist individuals with disabilities and their families is a sensible plan. This bill would lend a helping hand to law enforcement, speeding the investigation and research process and ultimately bringing residents safely to their homes.”
Similar systems are in place in Pennsylvania, Delaware and New York.
