Published Wednesday, February 29 2012
BLUE Alert, crucial public safety legislation, passed out of the House of Representatives tonight with a unanimous vote. The bill, sponsored by Rep. Mike Hope, would protect law enforcement, first responders, and the public by mirroring AMBER Alert.
When the BLUE Alert system is set in motion, all the resources available to AMBER Alert — like radio, TV and freeway billboards — would be employed to locate someone suspected of killing or harming a law enforcement officer. The concept first surfaced after the shooting of SPD Officer Timothy Brenton, who was killed on Halloween night 2009, and the murder of four Lakewood police officers.
The bill was drafted in January 2010 and has had the continuous support of the Council of Metropolitan Police and Sheriffs (COMPAS) and many victim advocacy groups. The bill gained momentum after the recent shooting of State Trooper Tony Radulescu thanks to the advocacy efforts of Rene Maher, Executive Director of COMPAS, and Keriann Shumate, a homicide co-victim advocate.
“It’s not only my responsibility as a police officer but it’s also my duty as a state legislator to protect the public. This bill will provide law enforcement the necessary additional tools to apprehend our most dangerous criminals” Hope said.
State Rep. Mike Hope is a 14-year veteran of the Seattle Police Department.
(Courtesy of Washington State House of Republicans website)
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