Do you know the definition of blue alert? This article will provide you with all of the information you need on blue alerts, including its meaning, usage, and more!
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According to Blue Alert Foundation, the blue alert is a system that helps law enforcement speed the apprehension of violent criminals who kill or seriously injure local, state, or federal law enforcement officers. This is a state system that is based on similar alert systems like an amber alert which alerts the public to a missing child and a silver alert which is for missing senior citizens or the elderly. The Blue Alert Foundation is trying to improve communication between law enforcement, transportation and news/social/wireless medias asl well as support the families of fallen officers, and bring Body Armor, Body Cameras, Squad Car Cameras and more to the law enforcement agencies that are not able to obtain this critical safety equipment. They might reveal criteria on the suspect like a vehicle tag or partial tag. The activation of the blue alert can only be done under certain circumstances and executive order for emergency alerts in which a police officer is under imminent threat such as serious bodily injury. A blue alert protects against further harm and leads to apprehension of the suspect. There is no national blue alert system to complete the manhunt of the following criteria, but the Florida Department of Law Enforcement and Texas Department of Public Safety amongst others implement this system. The investigating agency can use wireless devices like radio stations and cellphones as well as the emergency alert system to broadcast immediate information. For example a Florida blue alert might broadcast information to Daytona Beach, Fla. so Floridians are aware.
36 states currently use the blue alert system. New York, New Jersey, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, Arkansas and Nebraska are all working on implementing blue alert systems which would use media broadcasts and Department of Transportation messaging signs,to broadcast information identifying a detailed description of the offender, the offender’s vehicle, and license plate information which will hinder the violators ability to flee the state and facilitate a speedy capture, which helps to eliminate the threat they would pose on other communities and law enforcement personnel. A blue alert sends information related to an officer who is missing in connection with the officer’s official duties, the serious injury or death of a law enforcement officer in the line of duty, or an imminent and credible threat that an individual intends to cause the serious injury or death of a law enforcement officer. The investigating law enforcement agency of jurisdiction must recommend activation if they determine that the offender poses a serious risk or threat to the public and other law enforcement personnel through the State Operations Center (Governors’ Divisions of Emergency Management).
States that currently have a blue alert program are listed below:
Rhode Island – 2016
Indiana – July 1, 2013
California – January 1, 2011
New Jersey – Jan 2020
South Carolina – February 28, 2012
Michigan – Oct 3, 2015
Minnesota – Aug 1, 2015
Georgia – July 1, 2010
Virginia – July 1, 2011
Kansas – July 2014
Oklahoma – Oct. 25, 2016
Kentucky – July 12, 2012
Utah – October 17, 2011
Colorado – January 1, 2012
Vermont – July 2019
Mississippi – July 1, 2011
Tennessee – July 1, 2011
Maryland – June 25, 2010
Maine – April 16, 2015
North Carolina – July 11, 2016
South Dakota – Jan. 4, 2018
Florida – May 5, 2008 (Formally Known as “LEO ALERT”)
Illinois -January 1, 2014
Ohio – June 1, 2012
Texas – August 18, 2008
Alabama – April 16, 2010
Idaho – July 1, 2019
Montana – 2017
Iowa – June 2020
Washington State – March 15, 2012
West Virginia – May 14, 2019
Missouri – July 6, 2017
Delaware – January 1, 2011
North Dakota – March 25, 2015
Arizona – July 2014
Connecticut – October 1, 2013
What are other police code numbers?
There are many different police code numbers that police and law enforcement officers might use to alert another officer to something. These are listed below from Stanford. How many do you know?
503 Embezzlement
240-242 *Assault and Battery
118 Perjury
22348 Maximum speed law – 55 MPH
273d Corporal injury upon child
11352 Sale/transportation of heroin, cocaine, peyote, mescaline, and THC
23110 Throwing articles at a vehicle
266h Pimping
245b Assault with a deadly weapon against a peace officer
285 Incest
470 Forgery
245 Assault with a deadly weapon
537e Article with serial number removed
594 Vandalism
602L Trespass
278 Child abduction from parent or guardian
288a Oral copulation
209b Kidnaping for robbery
415 Disturbing the peace (be specific)
137(a) Offer bribe to influence testimony
207 Kidnap
647b Prostitution
11357c Possession of more than 1 ounce of marijuana
187 Murder
150 Refuse to aid an officer
476a Insufficient funds (checks)
11358 Cultivation
484f Forged credit card
242 *Battery
220 Assault with intent to mayhem/rape/sodomy/oral copulation
373 Public nuisance misdemeanors (spitting in public
266i Pandering
192.2 Involuntary manslaughter
102 Take or destroy property in custody of officer
261 Rape
499b Joyriding
11351 Possession for sales relating to heroin, cocaine, peyote, mescaline, and THC
12031 Possession of a loaded firearm
597 Killing or abusing animals
262 Rape of spouse
11368 Forged prescription
11359 Possession for sales
20001 Hit and run – injury or death
12020 Possession of a deadly weapon
5170 Unable to care for self
22350 Basic speed law – unsafe speed
311.2b Possessing obscene matter depicting a minor
23152 Drunk driving
11357a Possession of hashish
240 *Assault
192.3 Vehicular manslaughter
148.1 False report of a bomb
10851 Auto theft
10852 Malicious mischief to a vehicle
209a Kidnaping for ransom/extortion
11377 Possession
603 Trespass with damage
146a Impersonating a peace officer
484g Illegal use of a credit card
21111 Throwing article
647a Annoy/molest child
270 Child neglect/failing to pay the support payments
459 Burglary
653m Harassment by phone (obscene call)
246 Shooting at an inhabited dwelling or vehicle
67 Offer a bribe to executive officer
286 Sodomy
23112 Throwing garbage on highway
487 Grand Theft ($400+)
71 Threaten injury to school officer or employee
4532 Escape (also 32 PC)
148.5 False report of a crime
290 Sex registration
243a Battery against a citizen
places, etc.)
22500e Vehicle blocking a driveway
330 Gambling
647h Disorderly conduct – peeking into an inhabited building
271 Child abandonment – under 14
12677 Fireworks
537 Nonpayment of a bill (Restaurants, etc.)
32 Accessory to a felony
261.5 Rape – under 18 years of age
148 Interfering with an officer
647f Drunk in public
402b Abandoned refrigerator
20002 Hit and run – property damage
496 Receiving stolen property
Overall, a blue alert is similar to an amber alert or silver alert. It alerts people to a missing or endangered law enforcement officer.
Kevin Miller is a growth marketer with an extensive background in Search Engine Optimization, paid acquisition and email marketing. He is also an online editor and writer based out of Los Angeles, CA. He studied at Georgetown University, worked at Google and became infatuated with English Grammar and for years has been diving into the language, demystifying the do's and don'ts for all who share the same passion! He can be found online here.