Melrose Police Deploy 'Silver Alerts' For Confused, Lost Elders

A handful of organizations - including the Melrose Police Department - have announced the launch of the Massachusetts Silver Alert Community Response Program.

Not unlike Amber Alerts, Silver Alerts are intended to make it easier to locate elderly members of the population who become confused, wander off, and get lost.

“When a family member wanders, it is essential for the police department and other public safety agencies to begin their search immediately, rather than wasting time collecting information after a person is already missing,” said Melrose Chief of Police Michael Lyle, in a statement.

“The longer the interval between the report that a person is missing and the start of the search, the more likely the wanderer will be in danger.”

The Silver Alerts program - which has been implemented in Amesbury, Dedham, Dennis, Duxbury, Gloucester, Ludlow, Melrose, Norwood, Pittsfield, Taunton, Westwood and Yarmouth - entails collecting photographs of those prone to wandering, as well as locations they’re known to spend time at.

More specific information is available at the Melrose Police Department’s statement here.

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