Senate Approves Cryan-Greenstein Bill to Establish ‘Blue Alert’ System to Protect Law Enforcement Officers

Trenton – Acting to better protect law enforcement officers in New Jersey, the Senate today approved legislation sponsored by Senator Joe Cryan and Senator Linda Greenstein that would establish a “Blue Alert System.”

The bill, S-3272/A-2604, would provide for the rapid dissemination of information to facilitate the apprehension of persons suspected of killing or seriously injuring law enforcement officers and aid in locating an officer who is missing.

“Law enforcement officers put their lives on the line every day in service to the communities they serve and the people they protect,” said Senator Cryan, the former Union County Sherriff. “If they are threatened, injured or go missing this will provide a ‘Blue Alert’ that enables others to act quickly. It could mean the difference between life and death in dangerous situations.”

It would be modelled after the Amber and Silver Alert programs already in place in New Jersey to protect children and senior citizens.

“The men and women ‘in blue’ who help keep our communities safe should be protected in any way possible,” said Senator Greenstein, the chair of the Senate Law and Public Safety Committee. “Given the safety risks faced by law enforcement officers, it is only right that we create a system that would allow for more efficient communication to help ensure that an individual who attacks an officer is caught swiftly and brought to justice.”

A Blue Alert would be activated whenever all of the following criteria are met:

• A law enforcement officer has been seriously injured or killed, and a suspect has not been apprehended, or an officer is missing while on duty under circumstances warranting concern for his or her safety;
• There is sufficient descriptive information about the suspect or the circumstances surrounding an officer’s injury, death or disappearance to indicate that the activation of a Blue Alert may assist in locating a suspect or missing officer; and,
• The law enforcement agency leading the investigation requests that a Blue Alert be initiated.

The Blue Alert System would enable media outlets to voluntarily inform the public of a missing law enforcement officer, information regarding a person suspected of killing or injuring a law enforcement officer or any other circumstances surrounding the death, injury or disappearance of a law enforcement officer within their service regions.

Approved with a vote of  40-0, the bill now goes to the Governor.