Virginia State Police can now issue CODI alerts

RICHMOND, VA (WVNS) — To help with searching for missing children, CODI alerts will start being issued by the Virginia State Police.

According to a press release, CODI “Critical Operation for a Disappeared Child Initiative” alerts were approved by the 2024 General Assembly and will help when looking for endangered or missing children. The alerts will be sent out once requested by the law enforcement agency handling the investigation.

CODI alerts were named for Codi Bigsby, a four-year old from Hampton, Virginia who was reported missing in 2022 and never found.

In order for CODI alerts to be issued:

• The child must be 17 years of age or younger or be currently enrolled in a secondary school in Virginia, no matter their age.
• The child’s location must be unknown.
• The child’s disappearance must be under suspicious circumstances or pose a credible threat to the health and safety of the child as determined by law enforcement or circumstances that the Virginia State Police deem necessary.

There also needs to be enough information to give to the public to help in finding any missing children. If a missing child is thought to fit the necessary requirements for a CODI alert, investigating agencies can contact the Virginia State Police to activate a CODI alert.

The press release stated that the difference between AMBER alerts and CODI alerts is the element of abduction. While abduction is not a requirement for a CODI alert, an abduction is thought to occur before AMBER alerts are activated.

CODI alerts are one of six alert programs that the Virginia State Police can send out. the other alerts include:

• Senior Alerts : Over 60 years of age with cognitive impairment.
• Critically Missing Adult Alerts : 18 years of age or older, whose disappearance poses a credible threat to safety and health.
• Missing Person with Autism Alerts : Autism spectrum disorder, whose disappearance poses a credible threat to safety and health.
• Blue Alerts : Missing law enforcement officer or an ongoing search for a suspect involved in the death or injury of an officer.

Additional information about the alert requirements can be found on the alerts section on the Virginia State Police website .

In 2023, there were 6 AMBER Alerts, 42 Senior Alerts, 30 Critically Missing Adult Alerts, 3 Missing Person with Autism Alerts, and 0 Blue Alerts issued by the Virginia State Police at the request of local law enforcement agencies.

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