The Missouri State Highway Patrol is explaining the Joker Alert that Missourians received on their phones Tuesday afternoon.
Captain John Hotz says they were testing the “Blue Alert” system which is to warn law enforcement if backup is needed, because an officer is down.
Civilians do not receive any messages from that alert.
The system will not work if you use only the word “test” or “test test test.”
The test was for Highway Patrol personnel to learn how to send and receive alerts.
They used fictional characters, places and vehicles rather than a real name and vehicle just in case the alert was to go out to the public, as it did Tuesday.