The Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension (BCA) issues alerts to bring attention to investigations where your help is needed. There are five types of alerts in Minnesota.

• Amber Alerts are issued in circumstances of child abductions.
• Blue Alerts are used to locate suspects in incidents where an officer has been injured or killed.
• Crime Alerts are used to help locate and/or identify suspects, stolen property, and other investigative assistance.
• Endangered Missing Person Alerts are issued when investigators believe a missing person is at risk of injury or death.
• Missing Person Alert are used to help locate missing persons.

How We Issue Alerts 

The BCA uses multiple ways to get information out as quickly as possible to as many people as possible.

• We post information on our website and social media platforms.
• We email, text or fax information to people and organizations who sign up to receive alerts.
• We work with media in Minnesota to send out a recorded message using the Emergency Alert System. 
• For Amber and Blue alerts: We work with the Minnesota Department of Transportation to post information on electronic highway message signs. 
• For Amber Alerts: the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children issues a Wireless Emergency Alert. That’s the alert that sounds on your cell phone. 

How You Can Receive Alerts

You can sign up to receive any of these alerts directly from the BCA.