* § 837-w. Blue alert system. 1. There is established within the\ndivision a blue alert system to aid in the identification, location and\napprehension of any individual or individuals suspected of killing or\nseriously wounding any police officer.\n 2. For the purposes of this section:\n (a) The term "blue alert" shall mean information sent through the blue\nalert system related to:\n (i) the serious injury or death of a law enforcement officer in the\nline of duty;\n (ii) an officer who is missing in connection with the officer's\nofficial duties; or\n (iii) an imminent and credible threat that an individual intends to\ncause the serious injury or death of a law enforcement officer.\n (b) The term "law enforcement agency having jurisdiction" shall mean\nthe chief law enforcement officer of the village, town, city, county, or\nthe division of state police that is investigating an offense\nnecessitating the use of a blue alert.\n (c) The term "law enforcement officer" shall mean a state or local\npolice officer.\n 3. Upon the request of a law enforcement agency having jurisdiction,\nthe division shall issue a blue alert when public dissemination of\navailable information may help avert further harm or accelerate\napprehension of the suspect. Such blue alert may be disseminated on a\nregional or statewide basis. Nothing in this section shall require a law\nenforcement agency having jurisdiction to request a blue alert in any\ncircumstance described in paragraph (a) of subdivision two of this\nsection or to participate in the dissemination of information under the\nblue alert system.\n 4. The division shall coordinate with the department of\ntransportation, the division of state police, and police agencies, and\nmay also coordinate with public commercial television and radio\nbroadcaster organizations, to effectuate notifications under the blue\nalert system. Information disseminated pursuant to a blue alert may\ninclude, but shall not be limited to, a detailed description of the\nsuspect's vehicle or license plate number and the name of the law\nenforcement agency that requested the alert.\n 5. The division may coordinate with additional state agencies capable\nof providing urgent and timely information to the public, together with\ntelevision and radio broadcasters and other private entities, where\nappropriate, and if authorized and under conditions permitted by the\nfederal government, that consent to participate in the dissemination of\nurgent public information.\n 6. The division shall develop criteria and procedures for activation\nof the blue alert system, and shall regularly review the function of the\nblue alert system and revise its criteria and procedures to provide for\nefficient and effective public notifications.\n 7. The provisions of this section shall only apply in the event that\nthe division has been designated to use the federally authorized\nEmergency Alert System for the issuance of blue alerts.\n 8. The division is hereby authorized to promulgate rules and\nregulations for the implementation of the blue alert system pursuant to\nthis section.\n * NB There are 2 § 837-w's\n
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