County Supervisor Paul Cook applauds vote on Amber Alert-themed bill
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San Bernardino County Supervisor Paul Cook recently expressed strong support for the unanimous vote passage of Assembly Bill 2645, which aids law enforcement during Amber Alerts.
Passed on April 10, out of the California Assembly Public Safety Committee, the bill streamlines the process for law enforcement to access license plate data from toll roads during emergencies such as Amber Alerts.
“I’m thrilled to see the progress made on AB 2645,” the First District supervisor said. “Several years ago, I raised this critical issue with the San Bernardino County Transportation Authority.”
He added that In December, “With the invaluable assistance of our county’s sheriff’s department and legislative affairs team, we began advocating for this legislation. I’m grateful to Assemblymember Tom Lackey for taking the lead and authoring this important bill.”
AB 2645 addresses a critical gap in current law enforcement protocols during Amber Alerts and other emergencies, Cook said.
What will Assembly Bill 2645 do?
The bill would require transportation agencies to notify law enforcement when a vehicle identified in an emergency alert passes through toll lanes.
This eliminates the need for a lengthy warrant process, allowing law enforcement to respond swiftly and potentially save lives, AB 2645 proponents claim.
The bill would also require the transportation agency to review prior footage within a reasonable time after an alert has been activated and notify the California Highway Patrol and the law enforcement agency that requested the alert upon identifying the vehicle with the license plate number identified in the alert.
The transportation agency would include the time and location that the vehicle was identified, according to bill text.
CHP and transportation agencies that employ an electronic toll collection system would work together to develop a standard protocol regarding the notification of law enforcement after activation of an emergency alert, including how the agencies will receive notifications.
Assemblymember Tom Lackey stated that the bill "will increase the tools available to law enforcement in the event of an Amber or CHP Alert for a missing person and will undoubtedly increase the responsiveness of law enforcement when time is of the essence.”
Supervisor Cook said he looks forward to continued progress on AB 2645 and urges the Committee on Transportation to take swift action on the "lifesaving legislation."
“In situations like Amber Alerts, every second counts,” Cook said. “AB 2645 leverages existing technology to give law enforcement the tools they need to act quickly and effectively.”
The bill now heads to the Committee on Transportation.
Daily Press reporter Rene Ray De La Cruz may be reached at RDeLaCruz@VVDailyPress.com. Follow him on Twitter @DP_ReneDeLaCruz
This article originally appeared on Victorville Daily Press: County Supervisor Paul Cook applauds vote on Amber Alert-themed bill
