[Congressional Record Volume 161, Number 37 (Wednesday, March 4, 2015)]
[Senate]
[Page S1307]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

      By Mr. CARDIN (for himself, Mr. Graham, Mr. Leahy, Mr. Grassley, 
        Mr. Durbin, Mr. Portman, Mr. Whitehouse, Mr. Blunt, Mr. Coons, 
        Mr. Hoeven, Mrs. Boxer, Mr. Warner, Ms. Heitkamp, Mr. Brown, 
        Mr. Tillis, Mr. Cornyn, Mrs. Shaheen, and Mr. McConnell):
  S. 665. A bill to encourage, enhance, and integrate Blue Alert plans 
throughout the United States in order to disseminate information when a 
law enforcement officer is seriously injured or killed in the line of 
duty, is missing in connection with the officer's official duties, or 
an imminent and credible threat that an individual intends to cause the 
serious injury or death of a law enforcement officer is received, and 
for other purposes; to the Committee on the Judiciary.
  Mr. CARDIN. Mr. President, I rise today to introduce the Rafael Ramos 
and Wenjian Liu National Blue Alert Act of 2015.
  Every day, more than 900,000 Federal, State and local law enforcement 
officers put their lives on the line to keep our communities safe. 
Unfortunately these officers can become targets for criminals and those 
seeking to evade our justice system, and we must make sure our officers 
have all the tools they need to protect themselves and each other.
  Each year thousands of law enforcement officers are assaulted while 
performing their duties and many suffer serious injuries or even lose 
their lives. In December 2014, New York City Police Department officers 
Rafael Ramos and Wenjian Liu were assassinated while sitting in their 
marked police patrol car in Brooklyn. This legislation is named after 
those officers in honor of the ultimate sacrifice that they made to 
serve and protect their fellow citizens.
  According to preliminary data compiled by the National Law 
Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund, law enforcement fatalities in the 
U.S. rose 24 percent in 2014, reversing what had been two years of 
dramatic declines in line of duty deaths. The report indicates that 126 
federal, state, local, tribal and territorial officers were killed in 
the line of duty this year, compared to 102 in 2013. Ambush-style 
attacks such as those that took the lives of officers Ramos and Liu 
were the number one cause of felonious officer deaths for the fifth 
year in a row. Fifteen officers nationwide were killed in ambush 
assaults in 2014, matching 2012 for the highest total since 1995.
  I thank my original cosponsors who have joined me in introducing this 
legislation, including my lead co-sponsor Senator Graham.
  The rapid dissemination of critical, time-sensitive information about 
suspected criminals is essential to keeping our communities safe. This 
legislation would encourage, enhance, and integrate Blue Alert programs 
through the United States. The Attorney General would establish a 
national Blue Alert communications network within the Department of 
Justice. The Blue Alert system could be used when a law enforcement 
officer is: seriously injured or killed in the line of duty; missing in 
connection with the officer's official duties; or an imminent or 
credible threat that an individual intends to cause the serious injury 
of death of a law enforcement officer is received.
  The Blue Alert system could be used when the suspect has not been 
apprehended, and where there is sufficient descriptive information of 
the suspect and any vehicles involved, if applicable. This information 
can be used by local law enforcement, the public and the media to help 
facilitate capture of such offenders and ultimately reduce the risk 
they pose to our communities and law enforcement officers.
  Currently there is no national alert system that provides immediate 
information to other law enforcement agencies, the media or the public 
at large. Many states have created a state Blue Alert system in an 
effort to better inform their local communities. The State of Maryland, 
under the leadership of former Governor Martin O'Malley, created their 
Blue Alert system in 2008 after the murder of Maryland State Trooper 
Wesley Brown. Blue Alert programs have been created in 20 states to 
date, with a growing number of states considering establishing Blue 
Alert programs.
  The purpose of our National Blue Alert legislation is to keep our law 
enforcement officers and our communities safe. And based on the success 
of the AMBER Alert and the SILVER Alert, I believe this BLUE Alert will 
be equally successful in helping to apprehend criminal suspects who 
have seriously injured or killed our law enforcement officers.
  I am also pleased to say this legislation has the endorsement of the 
Fraternal Order of Police, the National Association of Police 
Organizations, the Sergeants Benevolent Association of the New York 
City Police Department, and many other law enforcement associations. 
Passing this legislation can help us live up to our commitment to help 
better protect those who serve us. I urge my colleagues to support this 
legislation.

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