Nice story

[srz]

I don't think I shared this story here but I just told this to a group of Representatives and thought you might like to hear it too. In 2004, an officer and I put together a Premise Alert form that eventually was made part of county supports for families and officers alike. It's a long story but what this means is that families who have a member who has special needs, mental health challenges, mental retardation, Alzheimer’s, or any other condition that they'd like first responders to know about they can fill out the form and take it to their local PD to be included in a book there and sent to the 911 database.

I met a Dad of a young son with autism at the Y and we were talking. He had filled out and delivered the form to the local PSP Barracks a few months before. He was not thrilled with doing it but his wife made him. The week I was talking to him a Trooper had been out to their house to file a report on some damage his wife’s car had suffered in some accident. The Trooper greeted his disabled son by name. The Dad asked him how he knew his sons name and the Trooper said. "His picture and Premise Alert was reviewed at the station and is on our bulletin board with a few others.
I recognized him."

The Dad told me that he was so touched and awed that the officer knew, remembered, and spoke to his son that he will be eternally grateful to all police officers. (Very few people speak to our nonverbal children)
The Dad said that he had always been leery of LE and had a very
jaded opinion of them before, but now, every time he sees an officer he smiles and has come to realize that they really are out there to help him and everyone.

I did let the Commander of that station know what a great job that Trooper did, not only for the family but the image of community policeing.

Just a story to make you smile

[ChesCopPodz]

Another thing you may want to consider adding is a tracking system. Our biggest problem, especially with Alzheimers is that they wander off. My department has a program called project lifesaver that gives a special bracelet to people in the program. The bracelet gives off a signal and if they wander off, we have tracking equipment.

It's not as pinpoint as GPS, but I think that as the technology becomes available, it will be incorporated. Right now the tracking equipment will pick up a signal if the person is in a mile radius or so, and officers will close in on the signal until they find the person. Works pretty well

http://www.chesterfield.gov/PublicSa.../lifesaver.asp

Here's the link to the county webpage about project lifesaver

[Cat_Doc]

Just a story to make you smile

It did make me smile.

It also made me very proud of that law enforcement officer.

This is exactly the kind of conduct that can change a person's image of the police from bad to good, just in one contact.

Thanks for the story.

[srz]

Another thing you may want to consider adding is a tracking system. Our biggest problem, especially with Alzheimers is that they wander off. My department has a program called project lifesaver that gives a special bracelet to people in the program. The bracelet gives off a signal and if they wander off, we have tracking equipment.

It's not as pinpoint as GPS, but I think that as the technology becomes available, it will be incorporated. Right now the tracking equipment will pick up a signal if the person is in a mile radius or so, and officers will close in on the signal until they find the person. Works pretty well

http://www.chesterfield.gov/PublicSa.../lifesaver.asp

Here's the link to the county webpage about project lifesaver

I love the Project Lifesaver program. It's a wonderful tool but we don't have it at this end of the state. The cost is prohibative to some families and
some individuals who would benefit won't or can't wear the bracelets. There is a group in Western PA that provides the bracelets free of charge to families.

Thanks

[ChesCopPodz]

We run our program from grants. I don't know which grants, or through whom, but we don't pay for it, neither do the participants.

[srz]

We run our program from grants. I don't know which grants, or through whom, but we don't pay for it, neither do the participants.

That's great to know. Maybe we'll get there one day soon. It is a great program for a lot of people.

[citcop]

Deffinately a feel good story and a major pat on the pat on the back to the trooper for having the presence of mind.

With all of the negative press we recieve, it's nice to have a possitive story thrown out once and a while.