From Rep. Ashley Hinson’s newsletter:
This week, I was proud to present the “Blue Alert” law to the State Government Committee. As we are well aware here in Iowa, there have been some very high profile cases where suspects have either injured or killed law enforcement officers and then escaped or gone on the run. You can view the list of Peace Officer Deaths in the Line of Duty here.
I see this as an imminent public safety issue. If someone is willing to kill or injure a law enforcement officer, what other harm are they willing to do unto others?
SF 526 creates an alert program, which will be a cooperative effort between the Department of Public Safety and local law enforcement agencies, to aid in searching for a suspect of a crime involving death or serious injury of a peace officer in the line of duty or a peace officer who is missing.
It is similar to our current Amber Alert system– where DPS will issue the alert if the suspect is on the run, law enforcement believes the suspect is a threat to public safety, and there is a good description of the suspect to aid the public in helping law enforcement to catch the suspect.
Read more about this effort nationally here.
I look forward to bringing this bill to the floor for a full House vote.
