Nearly 20 years after the implementation of the Amber alert in Quebec, the Legault government should soon announce the deployment of a Silver alert, to be used specifically in cases of disappearance of the elderly, Radio- learned Canada.
According to our information, Quebec wants to quickly set up Silver Alert pilot projects in the province’s three regions.
Defining the gray hair of the elderly, the Silver alert already exists elsewhere in the country, particularly in Manitoba and Alberta. It is also valid in several dozen American states.
Although different is applied in each area, the Silver Alert relying on rapid and widespread dissemination of information when a senior with severe neurocognitive disorder is missing.
The population is then more vigilant, as was the case with Amber alert, which has existed in Quebec since 2003 and is triggered when a child is abducted and there is fear for his or her safety.
Like the Amber alert, the involvement of police forces and their cooperation is usually central to the implementation of a Silver alert.
The implementation of pilot projects for Quebec should be the subject of a press conference in mid -June, according to our information.
The Sûreté du Québec (SQ) should participate in this along with the Minister responsible for Seniors and Carers, Marguerite Blais.
SQ is opposed to the Silver alert
Silver alert is not always a practice desired by the Sûreté du Québec. Radio-Canada followed up with a document in 2017 in which the SQ’s criminal investigation department did not recommend the establishment of such a system.
SQ fears that approximately 800 missing seniors meet the criteria to trigger a Silver alert each year in Quebec, which corresponds to an average of 15 alerts per week.
Repeated broadcasting of Silver alerts can desensitize the population to this type of event, thus reducing the effectiveness of the Amber alert.can we read in the document.
” In addition, the presence of Silver alerts could create confusion within the population and thus disrupt the initial mission of the Amber alert, which is to hold public attention to mobilize the search for a kidnapped child. . his life was near “
The Criminal Investigations Department also added that the Silver alert has probably not been needed since then current methods of investigating and media coverage of losses are proving to be effective.
Most of the missing persons, who could possibly be targeted by the Silver alert, were quickly found safe and orderlyis written in the explanatory note of SQ.
Clear tags
Former SQ deputy director Marcel Savard said these fears could easily be allayed if Silver Alert is marked very clearly.
We don’t want to overwhelm the population. Will the wolf make us cry so often and, ultimately, no one will pay attention to this kind of alert? describes M. Savard.
” You really need to define the trigger criteria, the people authorized to trigger [l’alerte Silver] in particular cases and also, as Amber does, we can surround the sector where we will trigger. “
According to Mr. Savard, the Silver alert will not be a panaceabut a additional furniture in a context where Quebec’s population is aging.
An increasing number of people are therefore struggling with problems such as dementia or Alzheimer’s disease and it is important to be better to act when they are missing, Mr. Savard said.
We have people who are still very fast, who still have access to a vehicle and their situation will cause them to drift far away.he explains.
Source: Radio-Canada
