FCC proposes a national ‘Blue Alert’ system to warn public of threats to law enforcement
June 22, 2017 | Uncategorized
The FCC today proposed to add the “Blue Alert” to the US Emergency Alert System which will notify the public of nearby suspects or threats to their communities’ law enforcement officials. The Blue Alert was introduced in 2015 after two New York City police officers were ambushed and killed while on duty.
The proposal seeks to make the Blue Alert, currently active in 27 states, a consistent, nationwide system that each state and local agency can adopt. The alerts can be sent through a television broadcast (cable or satellite), radio stations, and wireline video outlets. The format is modeled after the Amber Alert for missing children; Blue Alerts can warn the public if a violent suspect is nearby, the type of…
