SEC. 2. BLUE ALERT COMMUNICATIONS NETWORK. 
The Attorney General shall, subject to the availability 
of appropriations pursuant to section 6, establish a na-
tional Blue Alert communications network within the De-
partment of Justice to disseminate information when a 
law enforcement officer is seriously injured or killed in the 
line of duty through the initiation, facilitation, and pro-
motion of local elements of the network (known as Blue 
Alert plans) in coordination with States, units of local gov-
ernment, law enforcement agencies, and other appropriate 
entities. 
SEC. 3. BLUE ALERT COORDINATOR; GUIDELINES. 
(a) COORDINATION WITHIN DEPARTMENT OF JUS-
TICE.—The Attorney General shall assign an officer of the 
Department of Justice to act as the national coordinator 
of the Blue Alert communications network. The officer so 
designated shall be known as the Blue Alert Coordinator 
of the Department of Justice (referred to in this Act as 
the ‘‘Coordinator’’). 
(b) DUTIES OF THE COORDINATOR.—In acting as the 
national coordinator of the Blue Alert communications 
network, the Coordinator shall— 
(1) work with States to encourage the develop-
ment of additional Blue Alert plans in the network; 
(2) establish voluntary guidelines for States to 
use in developing Blue Alert plans that will promote 
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compatible and integrated Blue Alert plans through-
out the United States, including— 
(A) a list of the resources necessary to es-
tablish a Blue Alert plan; 
(B) criteria for evaluating whether a situa-
tion warrants issuing a Blue Alert; 
(C) guidelines to protect the privacy, dig-
nity, independence, and autonomy of any law 
enforcement officer who may be the subject of 
a Blue Alert or family of such law enforcement 
officer; 
(D) guidelines that, before a Blue Alert is 
issued and with respect to a law enforcement 
officer who is seriously injured or killed in the 
line of duty— 
(i) the law enforcement agency in-
volved confirms the death, injury, or attack 
on of the law enforcement officer; 
(ii) there is an indication of serious 
injury to or death of the law enforcement 
officer; 
(iii) the suspect involved has not been 
apprehended; and 
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(iv) there is sufficient descriptive in-
formation of the suspect involved and any 
relevant vehicle and tag numbers; 
(E) guidelines— 
(i) that information related to a law 
enforcement officer who is seriously in-
jured or killed in the line of duty would be 
provided to the National Crime Informa-
tion Center database operated by the Fed-
eral Bureau of Investigation pursuant to 
section 534 of title 28, United States 
Code, and any relevant crime information 
repository of the State involved; 
(ii) that a Blue Alert would be, to the 
maximum extent practicable (as deter-
mined by the Coordinator in consultation 
with State and local law enforcement agen-
cies) limited to the geographic areas most 
likely to facilitate the apprehension of the 
suspect involved or which such suspect 
could reasonably reach, but not limited to 
State lines; 
(iii) for State law enforcement agen-
cies to develop plans to communicate infor-
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mation to neighboring States to provide for 
seamless communication of Blue Alert; and 
(iv) providing that a Blue Alert will be 
suspended when the suspect involved is ap-
prehended or when the law enforcement 
agency involved determines that the Blue 
Alert is no longer effective; and 
(F) guidelines for— 
(i) the issuance of alerts through the 
Blue Alert communications network; and 
(ii) the extent of the dissemination of 
alerts issued through the network; 
(3) develop proposed protocols for efforts to ap-
prehend suspects, including protocols that are need-
ed from the time of the initial notification of a law 
enforcement agency that a suspect has not been ap-
prehended through the time of apprehension of a 
suspect or when the law enforcement agency involved 
determines that the Blue Alert is no longer effective, 
including— 
(A) public safety communications; 
(B) command center operations; and 
(C) incident review, evaluation, debriefing, 
and public information procedures; 
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(4) work with States to ensure appropriate re-
gional coordination of various elements of the net-
work; 
(5) establish an advisory group to assist States, 
units of local government, law enforcement agencies, 
and other entities involved in the Blue Alert commu-
nications network with initiating, facilitating, and 
promoting Blue Alert plans, which shall include— 
(A) to the maximum extent practicable, 
representation from the various geographic re-
gions of the United States; and 
(B) members who are— 
(i) representatives of law enforcement 
organizations, law enforcement agencies, 
and public safety communications, 
(ii) broadcasters, first responders, dis-
patchers, and radio station personnel; and 
(iii) representatives of any other indi-
viduals or organizations that the Coordi-
nator determines are necessary to the suc-
cess of the Blue Alert communications net-
work; and 
(6) act as the nationwide point of contact for— 
(A) the development of the network; and 
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(B) regional coordination of alerts through 
the network for law enforcement officers who 
are seriously injured or killed in the line of 
duty. 
(c) LIMITATIONS APPLICABLE TO GUIDELINES AND 
OTHER DUTIES.—In establishing the guidelines and car-
rying out other duties under subsection (b), the following 
shall apply: 
(1) VOLUNTARY
PARTICIPATION.—The guide-
lines established under paragraph (2) of such sub-
section, protocols developed under paragraph (3) of 
such subsection, and other programs established 
under such subsection, shall be adoptable by a State 
on a voluntary basis only. 
(2) DISSEMINATION
OF
INFORMATION.—The 
guidelines shall, to the maximum extent practicable 
(as determined by the Coordinator in consultation 
with State and local law enforcement agencies), pro-
vide that appropriate information relating to a 
wounding assault or fatal injury on a law enforce-
ment officer is disseminated to the appropriate law 
enforcement, public health, and other public officials. 
(3) PRIVACY
AND
CIVIL
LIBERTIES
PROTEC-
TIONS.—The guidelines shall— 
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(A) ensure that alerts issued through the 
Blue Alert communications network comply 
with all applicable Federal, State, and local pri-
vacy laws and regulations; and 
(B) include standards that specifically pro-
vide for the protection of the civil liberties, in-
cluding the privacy, of law enforcement officers 
who are seriously injured or killed in the line of 
duty and the families of such officers. 
(d) COOPERATION WITH OTHER AGENCIES.—The 
Coordinator shall cooperate with the Secretary of Home-
land Security, the Secretary of Transportation, the Fed-
eral Communications Commission, and appropriate offices 
of the Department of Justice in carrying out activities 
under this Act. 
(e) REPORTS.—Not later than one year after the date 
of the enactment of this Act, and annually thereafter, the 
Coordinator shall submit to Congress a report on the ac-
tivities of the Coordinator and the effectiveness and status 
of the Blue Alert plans of each State that has established 
or is in the process of establishing such a plan. 
SEC. 4. GRANT PROGRAM FOR SUPPORT OF BLUE ALERT 
PLANS. 
(a) GRANT PROGRAM.—Subject to the availability of 
appropriations to carry out this section, the Attorney Gen-
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eral shall carry out a program to provide grants to States 
for the development or enhancement of programs and ac-
tivities for the support of Blue Alert plans and the Blue 
Alert communications network. 
(b) ACTIVITIES.—Activities funded by grants under 
the program under subsection (a) may include— 
(1) the development and implementation of edu-
cation and training programs, and associated mate-
rials, relating to Blue Alert plans; 
(2) the development and implementation of law 
enforcement programs, and associated equipment, 
relating to Blue Alert plans; 
(3) the development and implementation of new 
technologies to improve Blue Alert communications; 
and 
(4) such other activities as the Attorney Gen-
eral considers appropriate for supporting the Blue 
Alert communications network. 
(c) FEDERAL SHARE.—The Federal share of the cost 
of any activities funded by a grant under the program 
under subsection (a) may not exceed 50 percent. 
(d) DISTRIBUTION OF GRANT AMOUNTS ON GEO-
GRAPHIC BASIS.—The Attorney General shall, to the max-
imum extent practicable, ensure the distribution of grants 
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under the program under subsection (a) on an equitable 
basis throughout the various regions of the United States. 
(e) ADMINISTRATION.—The Attorney General shall 
prescribe requirements, including application require-
ments, for grants under the program under subsection (a). 
SEC. 5. DEFINITION. 
For purposes of this Act, the term ‘‘State’’ means 
each of the 50 States, the District of Columbia, the Com-
monwealth of Puerto Rico, the United States Virgin Is-
lands, Guam, American Samoa, the Commonwealth of the 
Northern Mariana Islands, and any federally recognized 
Indian tribe. 
SEC. 6. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—There is authorized to be appro-
priated such sums as may be necessary to carry out this 
Act (other than for purposes described in subparagraph 
(A) or (B) of subsection (b)(1)). 
(b) GRANT FUNDING.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—There is authorized to be 
appropriated for fiscal year 2011— 
(A) $5,000,000 for grants under section 4; 
and 
(B) an additional $5,000,000 for such 
grants to carry out activities described in sec-
tion 4(b)(3). 
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(2) AVAILABILITY OF FUNDS.—Amounts appro-
priated pursuant to paragraph (1) shall remain 
available until expended. 
Æ 
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