As it stands, there are several different alerts that can be sent out nationwide during an emergency, like the Silver and Amber alerts. However recently the FCC has introduced a new alert system called the Blue Alert which will notify the public to threats to law enforcement that are happening in real time.According to the FCC, “Blue Alerts 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.” This will be part of the Emergency Alert System and will see the alert pushed out immediate warnings to state and local law enforcement, as well as to the public through broadcast, cable, satellite provides, and also onto consumer smartphones through the Wireless Emergency Alert system.
According to the Chairman of the FCC who detailed the new system, “Similar to the Amber Alerts that many are familiar with, Blue Alerts will enable authorities 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.”