National Blue Alert Act signed into law

A nationwide alert system to apprehend people who have hurt, threatened, or even killed members of law enforcement is closer to becoming a reality.  

Captain Cheryl Rantz with the Salisbury Police Department says, “I think it’s outstanding that we have gotten the support.”

Local law enforcement agencies are on board with new legislation signed by the President Obama Tuesday. Maryland Senator Ben Cardin wrote the bill entitled The Rafael Ramos and Wenjian Liu National Blue Alert Act of 2015. The bill is aimed at catching violent criminals who threaten, injure, or kill law enforcement officers. It’s modeled after the Amber Alert system.

Senator Cardin says, “Blue Alert would provide information on our highway signs, in our region, and around the country in order to provide timely information for the public to help.”

Captain Rantz continues, “We need this help. It helps the law enforcement officers as well as their friends and family, should something happen.”

The legislation is named for New York City police officers Rafael Ramos and Wenjian Liu who were killed while sitting in their police patrol car in Brooklyn last December.

Senator Cardin replies, “Someone from Maryland went up to New York and assassinated them. We had some information. I was just thinking about if that information was widely available, we may be able to prevent these types of tragedies in the future.”

Right now law enforcement say if a threat is made across state lines it can be difficult to investigate.

Captain Rantz goes on, “Resources are minimal. However, we do have help with adjoining agencies. We all do stick together and pass that information along.”  

They say adding a national aspect to this is definitely a step in the right direction. 

Captain Rantz says, “It’s a good first step. We’re grateful for any assistance we can get.”

Senator Cardin tells us the Department of Justice is currently working on the specifics of this act. For example, which law enforcement agencies the alerts would cover.

Senator Cardin says the bill will be enacted in a matter of weeks or months. He also says he trusts the DOJ to make Blue Alert as broad as possible to include all the individuals on the front lines keeping our community safe.