                                 CODE OF VIRGINIA

ACTIVATION OF BLUE ALERT PROGRAM (§ 52-34.9)

A. Upon notification by a law-enforcement agency that a suspect in a case
involving the death or serious injury of a law-enforcement officer has not been
apprehended and may be a serious threat to the public, the Department of State
Police shall confirm that (i) a suspect has not been apprehended, (ii) the
suspect may be a serious threat to the public, and (iii) sufficient information
is available to disseminate to the public that could assist in locating the
suspect.

B. Upon notification by a law-enforcement agency that a law-enforcement officer
is missing while in the line of duty under circumstances warranting concern for
such law-enforcement officer&#8217;s safety, the Department of State Police
shall confirm this information and determine whether sufficient information is
available to disseminate to the public that could assist in locating the missing
law-enforcement officer.

C. Upon verification that conditions set forth in subsection A or B have been
met, the Department of State Police shall activate the Blue Alert Program.

D. The area of the alert may be less than statewide if the Department of State
Police determines that the nature of the event makes it probable that the
suspect did not leave a certain geographic location or if the nature of the
event makes it probable that the missing law-enforcement officer is within a
certain geographic location. The Department of State Police shall assess the
appropriate boundaries for the alert based on the nature of the suspect, the
circumstances surrounding the crime or the last known location of the missing
law-enforcement officer.

E. The Blue Alert shall include such information as the Department of State
Police deems appropriate that will assist in the apprehension of the suspect or
the locating of the missing law-enforcement officer.

F. A law-enforcement agency shall notify the Department of State Police
immediately when the suspect is located or the law-enforcement officer is found
or the incident is otherwise resolved.

G. The Department of State Police shall terminate any activation of the Blue
Alert Program with respect to a particular incident if (i) the suspect or
law-enforcement officer is located or the incident is otherwise resolved or (ii)
the Department of State Police determines that the Blue Alert Program is no
longer an effective tool for locating the suspect or law-enforcement officer.

HISTORY: 2011, c. 669.