A CODI Alert stands for "Critical Operation for a Disappeared Child Initiative." It is an alert system used primarily by the Virginia State Police to inform the public efficiently about a missing child whose disappearance is suspicious or poses a credible threat to their safety and health. The CODI Alert is named after Codi Bigsby, a four-year-old who went missing in Virginia in 2022 and was never found. This alert system is specifically for children who are 17 years of age or younger or are currently enrolled in a secondary school in Virginia. Unlike an AMBER Alert, which requires an abduction to be the probable cause of disappearance, the CODI Alert does not require an abduction to have taken place. It is issued when a child is missing under suspicious circumstances or when there is a credible concern for their well- being. The alert is used to help law enforcement gather public assistance in finding the child and can disseminate information such as the child's description and any relevant vehicle involved. The CODI Alert can be sent directly to people's phones and through other media channels, but it does not appear on federal highway signs as AMBER Alerts do. In summary, a CODI Alert:
- Is for missing or endangered children under 18 or enrolled in secondary school.
- Is issued when a child's disappearance is suspicious or poses a credible threat to their safety.
- Does not require an abduction to have occurred, unlike an AMBER Alert.
- Helps law enforcement disseminate information quickly to the public to aid in locating the child.
This system was established in Virginia and is named to honor the memory of Codi Bigsby.
