52:17B-194.11 Transmission of alert by participating media.

3. a. When an MVP Emergency Alert is activated pursuant to section 2 of P.L.2015, c.184 (C.52:17B-194.10), the participating media shall voluntarily agree, upon notice from the State Police, to transmit emergency alerts to inform the public of a missing vulnerable person who resides within their broadcast service regions. The notice shall be provided through the State Police operational dispatch unit.

b. The alerts shall be broadcast as often as possible, pursuant to the guidelines established by the New Jersey Broadcasters' Association, for the first three hours. After the initial three hours, the alert shall be rebroadcast at such intervals as the investigating authority, the State Police, and the participating media deem appropriate.

c. The alerts shall include a description of the missing vulnerable person, including notice that the missing vulnerable person may appear agitated or upset, instructions as to whether the missing vulnerable person should be approached and, if appropriate, instructions on how to approach the missing vulnerable person, and such other information as the State Police may deem pertinent and appropriate. The alerts also shall provide information concerning how those members of the public who have information relating to the missing vulnerable person may contact the State Police or other appropriate law enforcement agency.

d. When a determination is made by the lead agency, and the State Police concur, that sufficient information indicating that at the time the person went missing the person was the operator of, a passenger in, or otherwise conveyed by a motor vehicle, concurrent with the notice provided to the broadcast media, the State Police operational dispatch unit shall also notify the Department of Transportation, the New Jersey Highway Authority, the New Jersey Turnpike Authority, and the South Jersey Transportation Authority of the MVP Emergency Alert. Through the use of their variable message signs, the department and the affected authorities shall inform the motoring public that an MVP Emergency Alert is in progress and provide information relating to the missing vulnerable person and how motorists may report any information they have to the State Police or other appropriate law enforcement agency. The State Police operational dispatch unit shall also ensure that employees of the New Jersey Transit Corporation who are on duty at any time when the MVP Emergency Alert is in effect receive notice of the MVP Emergency Alert, along with all pertinent information.

e. The State Police shall in a timely manner update the broadcast media and any other entity receiving notice of the MVP Emergency Alert with new information, when appropriate, concerning the missing vulnerable person.

f. The alerts shall terminate upon notice from the State Police.

L.2015, c.184, s.3.