ST. PAUL - Suspects in police attacks could be caught quicker if statewide alerts were issued, the Minnesota House decided Monday.
Representatives voted 129-0 to establish a “blue alert” program to notify the public when a law enforcement officer is killed or seriously injured.
“This gets us a lot of extra eyes and ears,” Rep. Tony Cornish, R-Vernon Center, said.
Cornish, a long-time law enforcement officer, said several Minnesota cases have taken a long time to resolve because of suspects remained at large.
Rep. Dan Schoen, D-St. Paul Park, agreed, using last year’s death of suburban police officer Scott Patrick as an example.
“We knew who the suspect was early in the day,” said Schoen, a Cottage Grove police officer. “This system would have prevented a lot of angst that happened in communities.”
The shooting suspect was arrested later in the day that Patrick was shot while making a traffic stop.
Cornish said that more than 20 other states have similar laws.
Blue alert is based on Amber alert, which has been used for years to track down missing youths. Cornish said the same infrastructure can be used to pass a blue alert to broadcast stations, mobile telephones, electronic highway signs and other outlets.
Children have been recovered after all 28 Minnesota Amber alerts since 2001.
A similar bill by Sen. Bill Ingebrigtsen, R-Alexandria, is making its way through the Senate.
