Bill > S1238

This bill establishes a "blue alert system" in the Commonwealth, which is a community response system to be used when law enforcement is searching for an individual wanted for the serious injury or killing of a police officer, state trooper, or other law enforcement official. The system aims to direct and focus law enforcement and other response resources cost-effectively within a specific geographic area related to the incident. The executive office of public safety, in conjunction with the department of state police, will develop and implement this system, with the Secretary of Public Safety responsible for adopting necessary rules and regulations after consulting with various law enforcement and public safety representatives. Importantly, all "first responders" (defined as members of police and fire departments, state police involved in highway patrol, and trained volunteer firefighters, excluding those with primarily clerical duties), "EMS first responders" (emergency medical service providers), and 911 operators will receive training on the blue alert system's application and protocols, with retraining incorporated into their ongoing training.