Did You Receive a Blue Alert?

We have all become familiar with the Amber Alert alarm sounding on our phones, but if you have recently starting receiving Blue Alerts, you might be unaware of what they are for and how they are issued.

According to The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation (TBI), it began issuing Blue Alerts on July 1, 2011, “A state law required the agency to develop a system for the rapid dissemination of information to the public to assist in apprehending violent criminals who kill or seriously injure law enforcement officers in the line of duty or to aid in locating a missing officer where foul play is involved.”

Blue Alerts are issued by the staff of the TBI’s Criminal Intelligence Unit, who after determining a warranted Blue Alert, will activate the alert. When TBI receives a request from a law enforcement agency that a death or serious injury of a law enforcement officer has occurred, there is protocol that must be followed for an alert to be issued. All of the following criteria must be met before the TBI will issue a Blue Alert:

If it is determined the request meets all of the criteria, a Blue Alert is issued. Click here see all current Blue Alerts.