With unanimous support, the Ohio House of Representatives today passed Senate Bill 258 to create the statewide Blue Alert Program, a emergency alert system to broadcast information about law-enforcement officers who have been injured or killed in the line of duty.

Similar to how Amber Alerts transmit information about missing persons, Blue Alerts will share information about officers who may be victims of violence on the job, as well information about the suspects who may have killed or injured them.

“Although we can’t keep every law enforcement officer out of harm’s way, we can certainly do everything we can to catch violent offenders and get them off the streets,” said State Representative Courtney Combs, who serves as chairman of the House Transportation, Public Safety and Homeland Security Committee. “I’m very pleased by the House’s passage of this bill because it will help bring to justice those who commit violence against law enforcement and keep our communities safer.”

Senate Bill 258 will now be sent to Governor Kasich for his signature.