Blue Alert
noun
variants
or less commonly Blue alert
plural Blue Alerts also Blue alerts
US
: a widely publicized bulletin that alerts law enforcement agencies, the media, and the public to the ongoing search for a person suspected of killing, seriously wounding, or seeking to kill or seriously wound a law enforcement officer in connection with the officer's duties
A Blue Alert was issued … as officials searched for a man charged in connection with the death of a Houston-area police officer.—
Kaley Johnson
Kaley JohnsonBlue Alerts can also be issued when a suspect poses an imminent and credible threat to law enforcement …—U.S. Department of Justice
U.S. Department of JusticeBlue alerts also are used when an officer goes missing while on duty and the circumstances around their disappearance cause concern for the officer's safety.—Hannah Brock
compare amber alert, silver alert
Hannah BrockExamples of Blue Alert in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Most states will additionally use a Blue Alert to warn people about a person who either seriously injured or killed a law enforcement officer in the line of duty and is on the lam, according to the Justice Department.
—Krystal Nurse, USA TODAY, 24 Dec. 2024
The Blue Alert rattled devices just before 5 a.m. on Oct. 4 in an effort to find and arrest Seth Altman, 33, who is the subject of a manhunt over the shooting of Memphis Police Chief Rex Plant in the Texas Panhandle.
—Louis Casiano, Fox News, 7 Oct. 2024
The Blue Alert program was created in 2008 and is designed to ensure that suspects are quickly apprehended.
—Marley Malenfant, Austin American-Statesman, 4 Oct. 2024
When the Blue Alert for Altman went off in the early hours of Friday morning, Texans took to social media to post about it.
—Saleen Martin, USA TODAY, 7 Oct. 2024
Texas authorities issued a Blue Alert early Friday morning, and a statewide manhunt has begun for a man suspected of injuring an officer, according to authorities.
—Alex Driggars, USA TODAY, 4 Oct. 2024
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Krystal Nurse, USA TODAY, 24 Dec. 2024
The Blue Alert rattled devices just before 5 a.m. on Oct. 4 in an effort to find and arrest Seth Altman, 33, who is the subject of a manhunt over the shooting of Memphis Police Chief Rex Plant in the Texas Panhandle.
—Louis Casiano, Fox News, 7 Oct. 2024
The Blue Alert program was created in 2008 and is designed to ensure that suspects are quickly apprehended.
—Marley Malenfant, Austin American-Statesman, 4 Oct. 2024
When the Blue Alert for Altman went off in the early hours of Friday morning, Texans took to social media to post about it.
—Saleen Martin, USA TODAY, 7 Oct. 2024
Texas authorities issued a Blue Alert early Friday morning, and a statewide manhunt has begun for a man suspected of injuring an officer, according to authorities.
—Alex Driggars, USA TODAY, 4 Oct. 2024
Cite this Entry
“Blue Alert.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Blue%20Alert. Accessed 4 May. 2025.
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