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Atmore Man Was Alabama’s First-Ever ‘Missing and Endangered Person Alert’. He Was Quickly Found Safe.
June 10, 2020
When an 81-year old man with dementia left his home late Sunday afternoon near Atmore, a missing person report was filed with the Atmore Police Department, and local officers began to search.
And a short time later, Alabama issued its first-ever “Missing and Endangered Person Alert”. Within minutes, NorthEscambia.com and other media across Alabama and beyond shared the missing person information for Verbin. L Kemp. About an hour after the alert, Kemp was located on Lowery Landing Road near the Appleton community in northern Escambia County, Alabama.
Alabama Governor Kay Ivey signed into law an expanded version of Alabama’s Missing Senior Alert, changing the name to the Missing and Endangered Person Alert, effective June 1.
Previously, the Missing Senior Alert was issued for missing citizens with Alzheimer’s disease or dementia and at risk of bodily harm or death. The newly expanded alert also includes individuals ages 18 and older who have a mental or physical disability and who are at risk of bodily harm or death.
“In the past, our Alabama Fusion Center has faced the challenge of how to alert the public when a missing individual is too old to meet the criteria for an AMBER or Emergency Missing Child Alert and too young to meet the criteria for a Missing Senior Alert,” Alabama Law Enforcement Agency Secretary Hal Taylor said. “We appreciate Governor Ivey and the Llegislature’s support in working with us to ensure some of the state’s most vulnerable individuals who are reported missing are found as quickly as possible.”
According to Alzheimer’s of Central Alabama, wandering is a danger for 60 percent of those living with Alzheimer’s. The organization recognizes the need to include anyone ages 18 and older who has a mental or physical disability and who is at risk of bodily harm or death in the state’s new Missing and Endangered Person Alert.
The new Missing and Endangered Person alert is one of four alerts in Alabama. The other alerts are:
- AMBER Alert: for a child ages 17 and younger who has been abducted and is believed to be in danger of serious bodily injury or death
- Emergency Missing Child Alert: for a child ages 17 and younger who is missing (not abducted) and believed to be in danger of serious bodily injury or death
- Blue Alert: for a peace officer who is missing, injured or killed and the at-large suspect is believed to be a serious threat to the public
Pictured: Verbin Kemp. Photo below is from the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency; the photo above was provide to NorthEscambia.com by family.
Comments
4 Responses to “Atmore Man Was Alabama’s First-Ever ‘Missing and Endangered Person Alert’. He Was Quickly Found Safe.”
Very glad he was found.
Thank God he was found. Dementia and Alzheimers run in my family. Seen it first hand and the hard part is when they don’t recognize you anymore. Just give them love and patience.
Glad he was found. People with dementia should wear ankle bracelets or some other device to track their whereabouts.
Alzheimer’s and dementia with the elderly is so sad. I am so glad this elderly gentleman was found and was found safe.God is good.