Blue Alert System For Officer Shooting Used For First Time In Oklahoma

On Monday morning, a lot of people in Tulsa County got an alert on their phones to let them know two officers had been shot, and the suspect was on the run. 

Tuesday, June 30th 2020, 6:55 pm



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On Monday morning, a lot of people in Tulsa County got an alert on their phones to let them know two officers had been shot, and the suspect was on the run. 

Around 8 a.m. people in Tulsa County saw an alert on their phones that two Tulsa police officers were shot and the suspect David Ware was on the run and was armed. Less than 3 hours later Ware was in police custody. Then, at 1:17 P-M a second suspect named Mathew Hall was also arrested. 

"As we all know it is critical time-wise when something like this happens minutes and seconds are so crucial and the response time," former Oklahoma state representative Richard Morrissette told News on 6. 

Morrissette created the Oklahoma Blue Alert Act, which was signed into law in 2016. He said he wanted a system to alert law enforcement and residents quickly If an officer is injured in the line of duty - to hopefully save lives.  

"It was my hope that we never have to use it but the purpose of it was if it would save one life or save someone from being injured- it was worth it," Morrissette explained. 

Sarah Stewart with the Department of Public Safety says the process was simple TPD called with information and their Oklahoma law enforcement telecommunications system department sent the alert in under twenty minutes. She said this was the first time the state of Oklahoma has ever issued a Blue Alert. 

"Everything went smoothly I just went like any other lawyer that we've done we were able to get it out quickly," Stewart said. 

Stewart hopes this is the first and last time the alert is used. "If we were able to help in a small way by issuing those blue alerts ---then we are glad that it was a little part that we could do and helping to capture the suspect," Stewart explained. 

Stewart says DPR plans to get in touch with the Tulsa Police Department and how effective the alert was, as well as how many tips the department got after it was issued. 



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