Res. No. 475

Resolution calling on the New York state legislature to pass, and the Governor to sign, legislation to create a "purple alert system" for missing victims of domestic violence.

By Council Members Farías, Cabán, Louis, Hanif, Yeger, Riley, Brewer, Richardson Jordan, Avilés, Ung, Restler, Joseph, Lee, Rivera and Dinowitz

Whereas, An emergency alert system is essential for conducting speedy and complete investigations into missing victims of domestic violence and sexual assault; and

Whereas, The New York State Missing Persons Clearinghouse within the New York State Division of Criminal Justice administers three alert programs; and

Whereas, Alerts are issued at the request of law enforcement when certain criteria are met; and

Whereas, Alerts are designed to ensure the most rapid and widespread dissemination of information about missing children under the age of 21, missing college students of any age, and missing vulnerable adults who are cognitively impaired; and

Whereas, Within minutes of an alert activation, information about the person is distributed to police agencies, the media, New York State Thruway Authority signs and plazas, New York State Department of Transportation highway signs, airports, bus terminals, train stations, hospitals, social media, and other locations; and

Whereas, Details are displayed on highway signs for up to eight hours and alerts can remain active for up to 72 hours; and

Whereas, New York State’s AMBER Alert system, which distributes pertinent information to locate missing children, has proven extraordinarily effective in reuniting children with their families; and

Whereas, According to New York States' AMBER Alert statistics, in nearly 7 of every 10 AMBER Alert cases, children are successfully reunited with their parents and in just over 17 percent of cases, the recovery is a direct result of the AMBER Alert; and

Whereas, The development of a statewide Purple Alert system, for those who have elected to participate, to disseminate much needed emergency notifications, about missing victims of domestic violence and coordinate the efforts of law enforcement, would support the safe rescue and return of victims in life threatening situations; and

Whereas, In most missing persons cases, the first 48 hours are the most critical to successfully reunite victims with their loved ones; and

Whereas, A Purple Alert system would galvanize communities to assist in the search and safe recovery of vulnerable victims of domestic violence; and

Whereas, The “Purple Alert” bill, A8492/S7562 of the 2021-2022 legislative session, sponsored Assemblymember Khaleel Anderson and Senator Julia Salazar, would establish a “Purple Alert” to notify the public of missing victims of domestic violence by unifying the resources of the Division of Criminal Services, Department of Transportation, and appropriate state agencies to inform the public along with private or governmental entities who participate in the dissemination of urgent public information; and

Whereas, Open lines of communication between law enforcement, victims and their families, and the public are necessary during ongoing investigations into cases of missing persons; and

Whereas, The legislation mandates the use of interagency collaboration and the urgent dissemination of information to investigate and provide for the safe rescue of vulnerable victims of domestic violence; now, therefore, be it

Resolved, That the Council of the City of New York calls on the New York state legislature to pass, and the Governor to sign, legislation, to create a "purple alert system" for missing victims of domestic violence.

EA

LS 10855, LS 12162, LS 12163

1/11/2023