FCC looks to add ‘Blue Alert’ to Emergency Alert System
The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has adopted a notice of proposed rulemaking to add a “Blue Alert” code to the Emergency Alert System protocol to help protect law enforcement officers and the public.
Supporters of the “Blue Alert” are drawing on the success of AMBER Alerts. They said Blue Alert EAS messages would be used voluntarily by state authorities to notify the public of threats to law enforcement and to help take dangerous suspects into custody.
The California Highway Patrol says at this time, the FCC has not approved and designated an EAS code to be used for Blue Alerts in the state of California. But with today’s news, that could change in the future.
According to the release, Blue Alerts would generally be used to warn the public when there is actionable information related to a law enforcement officer who is missing, seriously injured or killed in the line of duty, or when there is an imminent credible threat to an officer.
A Blue Alert could also quickly alert the public if a violent suspect may be in a particular community and provide instructions to listeners and viewers to stay safe and steps to take if the suspect is spotted. A Blue Alert would be suspended as soon as the suspect is caught.
Officials said a majority of states have already enacted Blue Alert legislation, but many of them only distribute the messages through news releases, other digital platforms, highway signs, etc.
KESQ News Channel 3 & CBS Local 2 will continue to keep you updated as the potential for Blue Alert notifications may be coming to your smart phone.
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