3/4/15 - Augusta, ME - Senator Scott Cyrway Blue Alert Program Receives Unanimous Committee Approval

Augusta – Senator Scott Cyrway (R-Kennebec) today presented
his bill, LD 375, “An Act to Create a Blue Alert Program in Maine,” to the
Legislature’s Criminal Justice and Public Safety Committee. Following his
presentation, the committee voted unanimously in favor of the legislation.

Senator Cyrway, a longtime law enforcement officer,
introduced the legislation as a way to expedite the capture of a suspect and
increase the safety of the public in the event of a violent attack on a law
enforcement officer.

“Because of the dangers law enforcement officers face every
day, we need to be proactive in implementing the Blue Alert program,” said
Senator Cyrway. “We all pray that such programs will never be used, but we
still must be prepared in the unfortunate event that such a need arises.”

Similar to the currently used Amber Alert, the Blue Alert
program would establish a quick response system designed to issue alerts
following a violent attack on a law enforcement officer.  The Blue Alert program will provide immediate
information to all first responders throughout Maine in order to aid in the
apprehension of the suspect in the attack. 
The Blue Alert program would also provide information to the public in
order to help keep the public safe when there is a suspect still at large. 

The notification would only go out if the Department of
Public Safety determined that public notification would be useful to protect
the public, to apprehend a suspect, or to locate a missing law enforcement
officer. 

Currently, 21 other states have a Blue Alert program in
place and another 10 states are considering implementing similar programs. 

The bill now heads to the full Senate and House for consideration.