Georgia District 53 State Sen. Jeff Mullis last week sponsored a
bill on behalf of the Georgia Fraternal Order of Police that
would create a "Blue Alert" system for any instance when a law
enforcement officer has been seriously injured or killed by a
criminal.
Similar to the Amber Alert Law, a Blue Alert Law would activate
the Georgia Department of Transportation message boards and
other state messaging systems to notify the public when a police
officer has been killed or seriously injured and the perpetrator
is at large.
"This would be a great tool in apprehending criminals who
assault law enforcement officers," said Georgia FOP State
President Carlton Stallings. "With the loss yesterday of Officer
Mike Vogt in Chattahoochee Hills, this bill couldn't be more
timely."
According to reports, Vogt was fatally shot early yesterday
afternoon while driving on Vernon Grove Road near Hutcheson
Ferry Road in South Fulton County.
"I have a great relationship with the FOP and wanted to push
through this legislation as soon as it was requested," Mullis
said. "If such a system had been in place yesterday, the person
who committed this terrible act against Officer Vogt perhaps
would have been in custody within hours."
Currently Senate Bill 397 is awaiting a vote in the Senate
Public Safety Committee, but movement is expected this week.
