Emerald Alert Used for First Time in Detroit, Helps Locate Missing Elder and Three Black Girls

August 28, 2025

Detroit recently launched the Emerald Alert system to address gaps in existing missing persons notification systems, successfully finding four missing individuals on its first day of operation. The new system works through the city's existing 365 Alerts network to send notifications for high-risk missing persons cases that don't qualify for Amber Alerts, including vulnerable children, those with special needs, and suspected non-domestic kidnappings. Created following the tragic disappearance of 13-year-old Na'Ziyah Harris in 2024, the system represents Detroit's response to longstanding concerns that missing Black residents didn't receive adequate attention.

Who is affected

Detroit residents, particularly Black families whose missing loved ones previously received less urgent attention
Missing vulnerable individuals (children, elders, people with special needs)
The families of those who go missing, who previously had to organize their own searches
The Detroit Black community that has historically felt its missing loved ones don't trigger the same urgency as others
Families of the four individuals successfully located on the first day of implementation

What action is being taken

The city is implementing the new Emerald Alert system through Detroit's 365 Alerts network
Alerts are being sent via text notifications and push alerts with descriptions of missing individuals
A dedicated Emerald Tipline at (313) 833-7297 is operating for information collection
Police are using the system to "cast a wider net" for finding vulnerable missing persons
The City Council has allocated $80,000 in surplus funds for a personal alert program specifically for disabled residents

Why it matters

The system fills gaps in existing alert frameworks (Amber Alerts, Silver Alerts) that don't cover many missing persons cases
It addresses racial disparities in how missing persons cases are handled, particularly for Black residents
Every second matters in missing persons cases, and the system provides immediate community notification
The first successful uses helped locate a 74-year-old Black woman and three Black teenage girls
It represents an acknowledgment that police alone cannot cover every area when searching for missing persons
The system disrupts traditional frameworks that determine which lives merit immediate mass notification

What's next

No explicit next steps stated in the article

Read full article from source: Michigan Chronicle