Hoyer, McMahon Introduce the National Blue Alert Act of 2010
Endorsed by the Fraternal Order of Police, Blue Alert Would Help Protect Police Officers Injured in the Line of Duty, Quickly Apprehend Suspects WASHINGTON, DC – Last night, Congressman Steny H. Hoyer (MD-5) and Congressman Michael E. McMahon (NY-13) joined colleagues in introducing the National Blue Alert Act of 2010, which would encourage the creation and integration of "Blue Alert" plans by State and local governments, and law enforcement agencies across the country. The Blue Alert system would operate like the "Amber Alert" system currently used to locate abducted children, and would provide the means to speed the apprehension of violent criminals who seriously injure or kill local, state, or federal law enforcement officers. Senator Benjamin L. Cardin (D-MD) will introduce companion legislation in the U.S. Senate today. "Each and every day, police officers risk their lives to protect our communities and keep us safe, and the brave men and women who literally put themselves in the line of fire deserve all of the help and protection we can offer them in return for their service," stated Congressman Hoyer. "To help protect police officers injured in the line of duty, the National Blue Alert Act of 2010 will use a system similar to ‘Amber Alert' – which saves the lives of abducted children nationwide every day – to encourage the creation and integration of a system that will allow police officers and first responders to react quickly to save the lives of those injured or killed in the line of duty, as well as apprehend the suspects who assaulted the police officer. I commend Maryland for their use of the Blue Alert system, and am proud that it can serve as a model for a nationwide effort to better protect our police officers." "My district of Staten Island and Brooklyn is home to many of ‘New York's finest' in the NYPD. It is a privilege to represent them, and I am particularly honored to introduce this legislation to protect their lives and apprehend those who seek to do them harm. This bill will help save police officers who lay their own lives on the line each and every day, plain and simple," said Rep. McMahon. "This legislation will transform the Blue Alert system from a 5 state program, to a nationwide alert network. I look forward to working with the Majority Leader and my colleagues to pass this bill and I thank the Fraternal Order of Police and Concerns of Police Survivors, Inc. for their support." "As we approach Crime Prevention Month, it is important to remember the more than 900,000 law enforcement officers who put their lives on the line everyday to protect our citizens," said Senator Cardin. "Maryland has been a leader in the use of the Blue Alert System and the National Blue Alert Act of 2010 will expand this valuable tool nationally, helping to disseminate important, time-sensitive information about offenders who have injured or killed a police officer. Based on the success of the Amber Alert system, the results should help save lives and put less people at risk." This legislation has nationwide support from the Fraternal Order of Police (FOP), and is locally supported by the Maryland FOP, which lost one of their own earlier this year. Maryland's Blue Alert System went into effect after the shooting death of Maryland State Police Trooper Wesley Brown on June 11, 2010. Following this tragedy, Governor Martin O'Malley signed an executive order immediately implementing the Blue Alert system in the State of Maryland, and it now serves as a model for this nationwide effort. "Too often our uniformed police officers are targets for criminals who have no regard for order in our society. This alert system would speed the search for suspects in cases involving law enforcement officers, immediately notifying law enforcement, the media and the public that a suspect is on the loose," stated John "Rodney" Bartlett, Maryland State President, Fraternal Order of Police. "Maryland law enforcement recently lost one of its own, Maryland State Police Trooper Wesley Brown, who was shot and killed in Prince George's County while working at a restaurant. On behalf of the 20,000 plus professional men and women of the Maryland Fraternal Order of Police, I urge you to support and seek expedited consideration of this legislation before the conclusion of the 111th Congress." The legislation authorizes a $5 million grant program to help establish the Blue Alert communications network to disseminate information when a law enforcement officer is seriously injured or killed in the line of duty. It would direct the Department of Justice to designate a Blue Alert national coordinator who will encourage states, which have not already done so, to develop Blue Alert plans and establish voluntary guidelines, including:
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