A Blue Alert is an emergency alert issued by local law enforcement to speed the apprehension of violent criminals who have killed, seriously injured, or pose an imminent and credible threat to law enforcement personnel. It provides immediate information to the public to prevent further harm and aid in the swift apprehension of the suspect. The National Blue Alert Network supports the use and integration of Blue Alert plans throughout the United States in order to rapidly disseminate information to law enforcement agencies, the media, and the public.
In order for a Blue Alert to be activated, a law enforcement officer must have been killed, suffered serious bodily injury, or been assaulted with a deadly weapon, and the suspect must have fled the scene of the offense. A law enforcement agency investigating the offense must have determined that the suspect poses an imminent threat to the public or other law enforcement personnel.
Blue Alerts can be transmitted to television and radio stations, cellphones and wireless devices, overhead highway message signs, and other secondary alerting mechanisms, in the same way that AMBER Alerts are commonly issued. If you witness a Blue Alert suspect, call 911 immediately to report it and be prepared to provide the location of the suspect, description of the suspect, and make, model, color, and license plate number (if possible) of any vehicle involved.
