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June 2012Blue Alert added to public notification system

Blue Alert added to public notification system

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Governor Haley signed the South Carolina Blue Alert System into law in February following a unanimous vote of the House and Senate.
 
Similar to an Amber Alert for locating endangered missing children, a Blue Alert warns the public about suspects accused of killing, seriously injuring or kidnapping a law enforcement officer.
 
With a Blue Alert, television and radio broadcasters can quickly disseminate information on a suspect, and the information can be displayed on electronic traffic signs. Supporters say the program will make it harder for suspects to escape and easier for officers to make a quick arrest. 
 
SLED, in charge of administering the system, has developed criteria for issuing a Blue Alert and activating Department of Transportation road signs statewide.
 
 
Criteria
  • The requesting law enforcement agency can confirm an officer has been killed, seriously injured or kidnapped.
  • The requesting law enforcement agency can conclude the suspect is a threat to public safety and there is enough information to disseminate to the public to assist in the suspect’s apprehension.
  • The requesting law enforcement agency has entered the subjects as being "wanted" in the National Crime Information Center.
  • The requesting law enforcement agency has issued a Be on the Lookout advisory (or requested SLED to issue the advisory) to other law enforcement/911 centers.
South Carolina joins about a dozen other states to adopt the alert system, including Georgia, Florida, Virginia and Tennessee.
 

 
Municipal Association of South Carolina
1411 Gervais St., PO Box 12109, Columbia, SC 29211
Phone: 803.799.9574, Fax: 803.933.1299, mail@masc.sc