Fla. Stat. 784.071
Assault or battery on a law enforcement officer; missing while in line of duty; blue alert


(1)

At the request of an authorized person employed at a law enforcement agency, the Department of Law Enforcement, in cooperation with the Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles and the Department of Transportation, shall activate the emergency alert system and issue a blue alert if all of the following conditions are met:
A law enforcement officer has been killed, has suffered serious bodily injury, or has been assaulted with a deadly weapon; or
A law enforcement officer is missing while in the line of duty under circumstances evidencing concern for the law enforcement officer’s safety;
The suspect has fled the scene of the offense;The law enforcement agency investigating the offense determines that the suspect poses an imminent threat to the public or to other law enforcement officers;A detailed description of the suspect’s vehicle, or other means of escape, or the license plate of the suspect’s vehicle is available for broadcasting;Dissemination of available information to the public may help avert further harm or assist in the apprehension of the suspect; andIf the law enforcement officer is missing, there is sufficient information available relating to the officer’s last known location and physical description, and the description of any vehicle involved, including the license plate number or other identifying information, to be broadcast to the public and other law enforcement agencies, which could assist in locating the missing law enforcement officer.

(a)1.

A law enforcement officer has been killed, has suffered serious bodily injury, or has been assaulted with a deadly weapon; orA law enforcement officer is missing while in the line of duty under circumstances evidencing concern for the law enforcement officer’s safety;
(a)1. A law enforcement officer has been killed, has suffered serious bodily injury, or has been assaulted with a deadly weapon; or
2. A law enforcement officer is missing while in the line of duty under circumstances evidencing concern for the law enforcement officer’s safety;

(b)

The suspect has fled the scene of the offense;

(c)

The law enforcement agency investigating the offense determines that the suspect poses an imminent threat to the public or to other law enforcement officers;

(d)

A detailed description of the suspect’s vehicle, or other means of escape, or the license plate of the suspect’s vehicle is available for broadcasting;

(e)

Dissemination of available information to the public may help avert further harm or assist in the apprehension of the suspect; and

(f)

If the law enforcement officer is missing, there is sufficient information available relating to the officer’s last known location and physical description, and the description of any vehicle involved, including the license plate number or other identifying information, to be broadcast to the public and other law enforcement agencies, which could assist in locating the missing law enforcement officer.

(2)(a)

The blue alert shall be immediately disseminated to the public through the emergency alert system by broadcasting the alert on television, radio, and the dynamic message signs that are located along the state’s highways.If a traffic emergency arises requiring that information pertaining to the traffic emergency be displayed on a highway message sign in lieu of the blue alert information, the agency responsible for displaying information on the highway message sign is not in violation of this section.

(2)(a)

The blue alert shall be immediately disseminated to the public through the emergency alert system by broadcasting the alert on television, radio, and the dynamic message signs that are located along the state’s highways.

(b)

If a traffic emergency arises requiring that information pertaining to the traffic emergency be displayed on a highway message sign in lieu of the blue alert information, the agency responsible for displaying information on the highway message sign is not in violation of this section.

Source: Section 784.071 — Assault or battery on a law enforcement officer; missing while in line of duty; blue alert, https://www.­flsenate.­gov/Laws/Statutes/2024/0784.­071 (accessed Aug. 7, 2025).

784.03
Battery
784.05
Culpable negligence
784.07
Assault or battery of law enforcement officers and other specified personnel
784.08
Assault or battery on persons 65 years of age or older
784.011
Assault
784.021
Aggravated assault
784.031
Battery by strangulation
784.041
Felony battery
784.045
Aggravated battery
784.046
Action by victim of repeat violence, sexual violence, or dating violence for protective injunction
784.047
Penalties for violating protective injunction against violators
784.048
Stalking
784.049
Sexual cyberharassment
784.062
Misuse of laser lighting devices
784.071
Assault or battery on a law enforcement officer
784.074
Assault or battery on sexually violent predators detention or commitment facility staff
784.075
Battery on detention or commitment facility staff or a juvenile probation officer
784.076
Battery on health services personnel
784.078
Battery of facility employee by throwing, tossing, or expelling certain fluids or materials
784.081
Assault or battery on specified officials or employees
784.082
Assault or battery by a person who is being detained in a prison, jail, or other detention facility upon visitor or other detainee
784.083
Assault or battery on code inspectors
784.085
Battery of child by throwing, tossing, projecting, or expelling certain fluids or materials
784.086
Reproductive battery
784.0485
Stalking
784.0487
Violation of an injunction for protection against stalking or cyberstalking
784.0493
Harassment or intimidation based on religious or ethnic heritage
784.0495
Mob intimidation

Current through Fall 2025

§ 784.071. Assault or battery on a law enforcement officer; missing while in line of duty; blue alert's source at flsenate​.gov