CHAPTER Saf-C 8200 BLUE ALERT

PART Saf-C 8201 PURPOSE AND SCOPE

Saf-C 8201.01 Purpose. The purpose of this chapter is to set forth the following:

(a) Standards for local law enforcement to determine whether a condition exists to notify the division of state police to activate a blue alert;

(b) Procedures for the activation of the blue alert system; and

(c) Procedures for providing relevant information to the public through an existing system of dynamic message signs located across the state when necessary.

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Saf-C 8201.02 Scope. This chapter shall apply to situations, when in the line of duty, a law enforcement officer has been killed or injured, or is missing, there is sufficient information available regarding the law enforcement officer's last known location or physical description of an offender or vehicle involved, and the department determines that a public notification may aid in:

(a) Apprehending a suspected offender who poses an imminent threat to the public or law enforcement personnel; or

(b) Locating a missing law enforcement officer.

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PART Saf-C 8202 DEFINITIONS

Saf-C 8202.01 “Blue alert” means “blue alert” as defined in RSA 106-M:1, I.

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Saf-C 8202.02 “Blue alert program” means “blue alert program” as defined in RSA 106-M:1, II.

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Saf-C 8202.03 “Division” means “division” as defined in RSA 106-M:1, III.

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Saf-C 8202.04 “Department” means the New Hampshire department of safety.

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Saf-C 8202.05 “Emergency alert system” (EAS) means the national public warning system operated by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), in partnership with the Federal Communication Commission (FCC), and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), that has the capability to allow radio and television broadcasters, cable television, wireless cable systems, satellite and wireline operators to issue warning and alerts to the American public.

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Saf-C 8202.06 “Intelligent transportation system” (ITS) means the application of information technology to surface transportation in order to achieve enhanced safety and mobility while also reducing the environmental impact of transportation.

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Saf-C 8202.07 “Investigating law enforcement agency” means the law enforcement agency for whom the killed, injured, or missing law enforcement officer is employed.

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Saf-C 8202.08 “Law enforcement agency” means the New Hampshire state police, police departments of cities, towns, and villages districts, county sheriff’s departments, the New Hampshire state fish & game department, the New Hampshire department of corrections, and county and municipal jail facilities.

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Saf-C 8202.09 “Law enforcement officer” means “law enforcement officer” as defined in RSA 106-M:1, IV.

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Saf-C 8202.10 “Media” means “media” as defined in RSA 106-M:1, V.

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Saf-C 8202.11 “State police” means the New Hampshire state police under RSA 106-B:2.

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Saf-C 8202.12 “State police online telecommunications system” (SPOTS) means the system that provides access to files from the FBI criminal justice information system (CJIS) through the national law enforcement telecommunications System (Nlets).

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PART Saf-C 8203 BLUE ALERT ACTIVATION STANDARD

Saf-C 8203.01 Activation Criteria.

(a) A blue alert shall be implemented when:

(1) In the line of duty, a law enforcement officer has been killed, injured, or is missing;

(2) There is sufficient information available regarding the law enforcement officer's last known location; or

(3) There is physical description of an offender or vehicle involved; and

(4) The law enforcement agency determines that a public notification may aid in:

a. Apprehending a suspected offender who poses an imminent threat to the public or law enforcement personnel; or

b. Locating the missing law enforcement officer.

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PART Saf-C 8204 BLUE ALERT ACTIVATION PROCEDURE

Saf-C 8204.01 Activation Procedure.

(a) A supervisor from the investigating law enforcement agency shall make a determination as to whether the criteria as set forth in these rules has been met for activation of a blue alert. In circumstances where a law enforcement officer is missing, the local law enforcement agency shall make all appropriate emergency contact notifications prior to contacting the state police in accordance with (b) below.

(b) Once the supervisor has made a determination that the blue alert criteria has been met, he or she shall contact state police headquarters communications at (603) 223-4381.

(d) The state police shall then complete a “Blue Alert Fax Broadcast Form”;

(e) The blue alert broadcast over the EAS shall include the following:

(1) The name of the law enforcement agency;

(2) Whether the law enforcement officer is missing, has been injured, or killed;

(3) The location or direction of travel, as applicable, where the law enforcement officer was injured, killed, or went missing;

(4) The name of the law enforcement officer who is missing;

(5) A description of the law enforcement officer who is missing, injured, or killed;

(6) A description of any suspect(s) believed to be involved in the law enforcement officer’s injury, death, or disappearance and a description of the vehicle the suspect(s) are driving;

(7) Instructions to the public to notify E-911 or the investigating law enforcement agency with any information relative to the law enforcement officer’s injury, death, or disappearance.

(f) Notwithstanding the foregoing, the name and other personal identifying information of a law enforcement who was killed or injured shall not be released as part of the blue alert broadcast.

(g) The state police shall distribute the information contained in the blue alert to the rest of the media via e-mail.

(h) The investigating law enforcement agency shall send its most recent photo of the missing law enforcement officer and the suspect(s) to the state police communications via email or fax and the state police communications supervisor shall insure that the photographs shall be distributed to the media outlets as soon as possible.

(i) If a law enforcement officer is missing and believed to have been kidnapped, a National Crime Information Center (NCIC) entry for the missing officer shall be made by the investigating law enforcement agency.

(j) If the suspect is identified, a NCIC entry for the wanted person shall be made by the investigating law enforcement agency.

(k) The investigating law enforcement agency shall disseminate the missing person entry and wanted person if applicable, to all terminal agencies via the SPOTS system.

(l) If deemed necessary, the state police headquarters communications supervisor shall forward the SPOTS message under subsection (e) beyond the state of New Hampshire.

(m) After the blue alert is sent, the state police headquarters communications supervisor shall contact department of transportation for input into the ITS network. He or she shall also contact the lottery commission to employ both agencies’ system of dynamic message signs located across the state.

(n) The EAS shall be used for subsequent updates as needed.

(o) When the blue alert is no longer needed, it shall be cancelled through the EAS starting the message with CANCEL.

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APPENDIX

Rule	Specific Statute the Federal Regulation the Rule Implements
Saf-C 8201.01	RSA 106-M:2, I & II
Sac-C 8201.02	RSA 106-M:2, I & II;
Saf-C 8202.01	RSA 106-M:1, I; RSA 106-M:2, II
Saf-C 8202.02	RSA 106-M:1, II; RSA 106-M:2, II
Saf-C 8202.03	RSA 106-M:1, III; RSA 106-M:2, II
Saf-C 8202.04	RSA 21-P:7; RSA 106-M:2, II (c)
Saf-C 8202.05	RSA 106-M:2, II; 47 CFR § 11.55
Saf-C 8202.06	RSA 106-M:2, II (c); RSA 541-A:7
Saf-C 8202.07	RSA 106-M:2, II (c); RSA 541-A:7
Saf-C 8202.08	RSA 106-M:1, IV; RSA 541-A:7
Saf-C 8202.09	RSA 106-M:1, V; RSA 541-A:7
Saf-C 8203.01	RSA 106-M:2, I; RSA 541-A:7
Saf-C 8204.01	RSA 106-M:2, II; 47 CFR § 11.55; RSA 541-A:7