Official statements or press releases from Texas Department of Public Safety

Texas Residents Criticize Early Morning 'Blue Alert' in Hall County

Oct 4, 2024, 12:15 PM

Early Friday morning, residents across Texas were startled by a 'Blue Alert' sent to their phones around 4:50 AM. The alert, which is part of the state's emergency alert system, was triggered due to an incident involving an armed and dangerous suspect in Hall County, a rural area in North Texas. The alert was intended to notify the public about a DPS trooper who was injured. However, the timing and widespread dissemination of the alert have drawn criticism from many Texans, who argue that it was unnecessary to wake up millions of people for an incident occurring far from their location. The incident has sparked discussions about the criteria for issuing such alerts and the potential need for reform in the emergency alert system. A Texas Senate candidate has even suggested that opposing such alerts could gain political traction.