39F.180 Reports of missing, lost, or overdue persons -- Reports of search and
1,072 words·~5 min read·
/ky/39f-180A research copy — for the controlling text, always check the official state or federal source. Not legal advice.
rescue missions -- Golden Alert D -- Golden Alert -- Green Alert --
Administrative regulations on standard operating procedure -- Immediate
search for lost, missing, or overdue person permitted.
(1)All 911 centers and dispatch centers, law enforcement agencies, law enforcement
dispatchers, fire departments, rescue squads, emergency medical service agencies,
and emergency management agencies shall report the information required to be
reported by administrative regulation, for all reports of persons missing, lost, or
overdue, if a search for the lost person has lasted for more than two
(2)hours to:
(a)The local emergency management director; and
(b)The local search and rescue coordinator for the jurisdiction in which the
person is reported missing.
(a)Any missing person report for a missing minor, as that term is defined in KRS
2.015, shall be immediately reported to the Department of Kentucky State
Police by the person or organization to whom the missing minor is reported.
(b)A missing person report for an impaired person as defined in KRS
39F.010(3)(a) shall immediately be reported as a Golden Alert D to the local
emergency management director, local search and rescue coordinator if
different from the local emergency manager, local media outlets, and the duty
officer of the Division of Emergency Management by the person managing
the search or by the organization conducting the search, in a manner to be
established by county policy.
(c)A missing person report for an impaired person as defined in KRS
39F.010(3)(b) shall immediately be reported as a Golden Alert to the local
emergency management director, local search and rescue coordinator if
different from the local emergency manager, local media outlets, and the duty
officer of the Division of Emergency Management by the person managing
the search or by the organization conducting the search. The provisions of this
section do not apply to any licensed long-term health care provider
conducting a search for a missing resident until the provider requests a search
by a person or organization specified in subsection
(1)of this section.
(d)A missing person report for a veteran at risk shall immediately be reported as
a Green Alert to the local emergency management director, local search and
rescue coordinator if different from the local emergency management
manager, local media outlets, and the duty officer of the Division of
Emergency Management by the person managing the search or by the
organization conducting the search. The provisions of this section do not
apply to any licensed long-term health care provider conducting a search for a
missing resident until the provider requests a search by a person or
organization specified in subsection
(1)of this section.
(e)The duty officer of the Division of Emergency Management shall contact the
Transportation Cabinet if the local search coordinator determines that at any
time during a search the use of electronic highway signs will aid in the search
and is in the best interest of the missing person.
(f)The making of this report does not relieve the person or organization from the
duty to make other notifications and reports required in this section.
(3)Any search and rescue mission which has lasted four
(4)hours without the subject
being located shall be immediately reported to the duty officer of the Division of
Emergency Management by telephone or radio. Any agency, including but not
limited to local law enforcement, the Kentucky State Police, fire departments,
rescue squads, and emergency management, that initiates a search for any missing
person not considered a Golden or Green Alert shall make the notifications
indicated in subsection
(2)of this section within four
(4)hours of initiation of the
search. Any search by any agency shall be reported to the Division of Emergency
Management by telephone or radio within four
(4)hours of initiation by the local
search and rescue coordinator, the local emergency management director, or their
designee.
(4)The results of each lost, missing, or overdue person report or search mission
required to be reported under subsections
(1)to
(3)of this section shall be reported
to the division and the local director on forms provided by the division and
containing the information required by administrative regulation. The report shall
be filed within twenty
(20)days after:
(a)The search and rescue mission is discontinued; or
(b)The victim has not been found and a decision is made to keep the case open or
continue searching on a limited basis, whichever occurs earlier.
(5)Each agency required to notify a local emergency management director or the
division of a report of a missing person, or a search mission pursuant to this section
shall develop a written standard operating procedure for handling and reporting
requests to search for missing, lost, or overdue persons. This standard operating
procedure shall be a public record.
(6)The Transportation Cabinet shall promulgate administrative regulations in
accordance with KRS Chapter 13A to develop a written standard operating
procedure for handling and reporting requests made by the duty officer of the
Division of Emergency Management to initiate the use of electronic highway signs
as part of a search for a missing, lost, or overdue person. This standard operating
procedure shall be a public record.
(7)The contents of reports, information to be conveyed upon notification, and other
matters relating to the administration of this section and the securing of information
required hereby shall be specified by the division by administrative regulations.
(8)There is no requirement in Kentucky to delay the search for or rescue of any lost,
missing, or overdue person. Any person who is reported lost, missing, or overdue,
adult or child, may be searched for immediately by any emergency management,
fire, law enforcement, emergency medical services, search and rescue, rescue
squad, or other similar organization to which a missing or overdue person is
reported. Any agency searching for a lost or missing person shall utilize existing
resources, including but not limited to electronic highway signs, the Amber Alert
System, law enforcement communications systems, electronic media, local,
regional, and statewide media providers, and the Integrated Public Alert and
Warning System, if authorized and under conditions permitted by the federal government. No public safety answering point, emergency dispatch center, or 911 center shall delay any call reporting a person lost, overdue, or missing to the organization specified in the county search and rescue annex of the county emergency management plan as responsible for searching for lost, missing, or overdue persons.