TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — There are plenty of color coded alerts in Florida — Amber, Silver, Blue, and now Purple.

The newest color-coded alert, which went into effect Friday, is specifically for adults with an intellectual or developmental disability without dementia.

For Lt. Paul Bloom, Florida’s Purple Alert is long overdue.

“There was a portion of our society that was missed out on these alerts," he said. "They didn’t fall into the category of an Amber Alert and Silver Alert, but we still need to find them."

With decades of law enforcement experience, he’s no stranger to Amber Alerts, and Marion County has had its fair share of Silver Alerts too. But Bloom said the Purple Alert is for people who previously fell through the cracks but still have mental disabilities that put them at risk.

“You still pose a risk to yourself and it’s very dangerous for you to be left alone because of this medical condition," he said. "Then we want to find you. The public wants to find you."

For the Florida Department of Law Enforcement's Missing Endangered Persons and Offender Registry, this new alert is a big win.

“This is another tool that law enforcement will have on their belt in order to try to safely recover anyone that goes missing that meets these criteria,” said FDLE spokesman Chad Brown.

But the new tool is unlike the Amber and Silver Alerts. For starters, people will need to subscribe to receiving Purple Alerts and they don't require vehicle information.

“You may get a description of the individual if they left on a bicycle or if they left on foot," Brown said. "So it’s important for the public to pay attention to the description of the person. Hopefully, if they see that person, they’ll reach out to law enforcement."

But officials say the critical aspect of any alert is the public keeping an eye out for them.

The Purple Alert is for adults who are lost and have mental disabilities. However, that doesn’t include dementia-related illnesses, like Alzheimer’s. Spectrum News reached out to the Alzheimer’s Association and the group released the following statement:

“Individuals with Alzheimer’s or other dementia who are reported missing still fall under the Silver Alert in Florida. The stress experienced by families and caregivers when a person living with dementia wanders and becomes lost is significant. Have a plan in place beforehand, so you know what to do in an emergency. The Alzheimer’s Association encourages families with a missing loved one living with Alzheimer’s or dementia to first contact their local police department or sheriff’s office first, then call 1-888-FL MISSING (356-4774) to start a Silver Alert. Learn more at alz.org.”