What’s the difference between a Silver Alert and an Amber Alert?

(WNDU) - Just over an hour after the South Bend Police Department sent us a release on Monday morning regarding a missing 1-year-old girl, Indiana State Police issued a statewide Silver Alert for her disappearance.

That left some of you at home wondering why ISP issued a Silver Alert instead of an Amber Alert.

There are specific standards a person’s disappearance must meet for police to declare a Silver Alert or An Amber Alert.

Silver Alerts are intended for missing people, including adults or children, whereas Amber Alerts are meant for children under the age of 18 who are believed to have been abducted and in danger.

According to our sister station WTHR in Indianapolis, police also need to have information about a suspect and their car to issue an Amber Alert.

Meanwhile, it’s also important to note that local police departments don’t determine what type of alert is issued. Indiana State Police make that determination based on the information they are provided.

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