TYNGSBOROUGH – Chief Richard Howe is pleased to announce that the Tyngsborough Police Department will receive a SafetyNet system meant to help locate missing individuals with cognitive impairments quickly, thanks to support from the Rotary Club of Tyngsborough/Dunstable.
The Tyngsborough Police Department has partnered with the Rotary Club to purchase the equipment and enroll in the program. The Rotary Club raised $6,000 for the Tyngsborough Police through community donations.
“With the SafetyNet equipment, members of our department can better assist and locate residents of Tyngsborough with cognitive disabilities who wander from their homes,” Chief Howe said. “Thank you to the Rotary Club for its assistance and to the Tyngsborough community for its generosity.”
SafetyNet is a radio frequency tracking system designed to help police officers locate residents with cognitive impairments such as autism spectrum disorder, Alzheimer’s or dementia. Individuals with these impairments wear a transponder that connects to the SafetyNet system in an officer’s vehicle. If a resident is missing, police can then locate and assist the individual to ensure their safety.
Eligible residents who sign up for SafetyNet will receive a free loaner bracelet for as long as they wish to be in the program.
Officers will undergo training to become comfortable and capable users of the SafetyNet system before implementation. Officers also will be able to access helpful and important user information that can be critical in search and rescue operations.
The Rotary Club of Tyngsborough/Dunstable originally sought to raise $5,000, but exceeded its goal and raised $6,000. The group strives to support its community through acts of service.
The Department also has applied for a grant through the Department of Justice to support this program. That grant announcement would be made sometime this fall.
Additionally, Chief Howe announced the launch of the Tyngsborough Home Safe Registry, which is open to those eligible for the SafetyNet program as well as the Town’s senior population.
The registry will include information that the families or caregivers of these individuals wish to provide, such as medical information, a recent photo, emergency contact information, useful phrases or names, and more. This information will assist Tyngsborough Police and Fire Departments to respond more effectively and in a more timely manner.
Information added to the Home Safe Registry can be updated by the family or caregiver as needed. The information provided will be accessed only by the Tyngsborough Police Department and Fire Departments as needed, and is completely confidential.
While these two programs are part of the same initiative, residents or caregivers of eligible participants can enroll in one program or both. Those interested are asked to sign up here.