All-points bulletin

An all-points bulletin (APB) is a broadcast issued from any American or Canadian law enforcement agency to its personnel, or to other law enforcement agencies. It typically contains information about a wanted suspect who is to be arrested or a person of interest, for whom law enforcement officers are to look. They are usually dangerous or missing persons. As used by American police, the term dates to at least 1960. An all-points bulletin can also be known as a BOLO or BOL, which stands for "be on the look-out". Such an alert may also be called a lookout or ATL ("attempt to locate").