RJ’s Law brings ‘Purple Alerts’ to Missouri
You know Amber Alerts for children in danger and Silver Alerts for senior citizens in danger. As of Aug. 28, 2026, the state of Missouri now adds the Purple Alert for disabled Missourians who may be in danger.
The new alert is a result of RJ’s Law which Governor Mike Kehoe signed into law in July 2026. The Purple Alert will make residents of an area aware of a mentally disabled Missourian who is missing and could be in danger. These people will likely be nonverbal or in some way unable to ask for help in a dangerous situation because of autism or a similar condition.
When a mentally disabled person is believed to be missing, law enforcement will be contacted. Responding officers will obtain information and send it to the Missouri Department of Public Safety who will determine if the situation merits a Purple Alert.
An additional part of the law is mandatory training for law enforcement agencies across the state for de-escalation in situations involving those with developmental disabilities. The law also allows individuals who have communication-impairing conditions to register their vehicles with the state, allowing officers to use the in-car Missouri Uniform Law Enforcement System (MULES) to be notified before approaching a vehicle if someone may be autistic or have other similar conditions.
The law is named after Raymond “RJ” O’Keefe, a four-year-old who went missing in May 2025 and was found six hours later in a nearby pond. All elements of the law are required to be in place from various involved state agencies by the end of July 2027.
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