Momentum continues to build for Blue Alerts. These are emergency notifications similar to Amber Alerts, but for a different purpose. Instead of being used for missing and endangered children, Blue Alerts are for alerting the public when a law enforcement officer has been seriously assaulted and the suspect is on the loose.
California has just put a Blue Alert law into effect. It directs the state to use the Amber Alert network, including the Emergency Alert System (EAS), when:
-a law enforcement officer has been killed, suffers serious bodily injury, or is assaulted with a deadly weapon, and the suspect has fled the scene of the offense;
-the investigating agency has determined that the suspect poses an imminent thret to the public or other law enforcement personnel;
-a detailed description of the suspect's vehicle or license plate is available for broadcast;
-public dissemination of available information may help avert further harm or accelerate apprehension of the suspect.
Oklahoma, Texas, and Florida have similar laws. Blue Alert legislation is pending in Missouri. One of the supporters has launched a Blue Alert for Missouri page on Facebook here.
We like the idea of Blue Alerts, and suspect the trend will continue to grow. What could be a better use of the maturing EAS system?
All the best,
Rick
