Cactus Village Community

What is the H.E.L.P. Program? . . .by CAO Karen Freund

Jul 08, 2003

All precincts have recently been given access to a program called Helping Elderly Lost Persons (HELP). The program was developed to aid officers in identifying found persons with memory dementia or Alzheimer?’s disease. Volunteers in the Missing Persons Detail have initiated a central database program that contains information to assist officers in finding out who these individuals are and where they live. Aides in all precincts have received training in the use of the HELP Program through the computer network.

Officers who find a person with memory dementia can take the person to any precinct station and, with the use of a network computer, can find where the person belongs. Officers enter the physical information such as sex, hair color, eye color, or name into the HELP database and the search will provide a series of pictures, addresses and caregiver?’s information.

Anyone who provides care for a person suffering from Alzheimer?’s Disease or any type of memory dementia should contact the Missing Person?’s Detail to have a volunteer take pictures and collect the necessary data for inclusion in the department?’s system. All information in this database is confidential and is accessible only by police personnel.

Please direct your questions to the Missing Person?’s Detail at 602-261-8042. Don?’t wait for an incident to occur ?— call them today...☺