The Meaning of Blue Alert: What It Is and How To Use It

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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What does a blue alert mean?

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.

Sources: 

  1. Police Radio Codes | Stanford 
  2. About Us | Blue AlertÂ