FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Wednesday, June 20, 2018

Contact: John Guilfoil
Phone: 617-993-0003
Email: john@jgpr.net

Melrose Police Chief Speaks to Seniors about Missing Persons Program

MELROSE — Police Chief Michael L. Lyle made a special visit to a local senior living home last week to inform residents and staff about the city’s missing persons program.

On June 14, Chief Lyle stopped by The Residence at Melrose Station, 158 Essex St., to give an overview of the Melrose Alert program, which was created by the police department in conjunction with the Council on Aging. The Melrose program was created after Chief Lyle recognized the need to increase the amount of time police have to search for a missing person and streamline the process for gathering information about individuals who have become lost or wander.

Melrose Alert enhances the state’s Silver Alert program at the local level, and is designed to pre-plan a rapid response to locate cognitively impaired residents, like those with Alzheimer’s disease or dementia, who are at risk of wandering and becoming lost. This group of people must be treated as high-risk and police must respond as such.

The Melrose Alert program works by collecting vital information in a secured law enforcement database about the person, including any locations they are known to visit frequently and a current photograph. This information can then be used to enhance officers’ ability to locate loved ones who go missing, especially during the all-important first minutes and hours.

“Timing is critical when a loved one goes missing. Seconds can be the difference for this high risk group,” Chief Lyle said. “Often times it is hours before police receive a call that a person is missing, so with the Melrose Alert program, when a call comes in, we will already have the important information we need and can immediately begin looking for that person.”

All 15 residents who attended the presentation at The Residence at Melrose Station received an application to sign up for the Melrose Alert program. Residents who have a loved one that they would like to sign up for the program can do so here.

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