New law will alert Missourians of violence against police

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. — A new system soon will alert Missourians when a law-enforcement officer is killed or injured.

Gov. Eric Greitens on Thursday signed a bill creating the “Blue Alert” system. Similar to Amber Alerts, the system would notify the public when someone who injured or killed a law-enforcement officer is on the run.

The alert system was part of several crime-related changes to state law approved by the Legislature in May. The law also increases penalties for assaulting law-enforcement officers.

Another part of the law creates a crime of illegal re-entry. The St. Louis Post-Dispatch reported if a person is deported from the U.S. for committing a crime and returns to the country and commits a felony, he or she also would be guilty of illegal re-entry in Missouri.

Information from: St. Louis Post-Dispatch, http://www.stltoday.com