The Juneau Police Department is beginning a program to enhance the safety of residents who have conditions that may bring them into contact with the police, said a JPD spokesperson.
The At-Risk Community Program will allow caregivers to fill out a form with JPD with basic information which may help the police to assist someone needing help, wrote Lt. Krag Campbell in the news release.
“It’s outward reaching to the community to help the community in those types of situations and to better serve,” said Chief Ed Mercer in an interview. “I think it’s a good thing for the community. I hope it helps people for their peace of mind, that if they call us for our services, we’ll be more responsive.”
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At-risk people may be someone with a mental condition that makes it difficult to communicate, or a disease that impairs memory, or anything in between, Campbell said. The form will have basic information about the at-risk person, including places they might go, behaviors that could have positive or negative effects and a photograph.
In a crisis, Mercer said, having that information could save lives, whether by letting the police know who to contact or if someone is missing, where to start looking.
“During these interactions, our ability to communicate effectively is of the utmost importance,” Campbell said. “If someone is non-verbal, unable to tell us where they live, or unable to indicate their emergency contacts’ information, this can hamper our ability to care for them effectively.”
The program is entirely voluntary, Campbell said. Caregivers can withdraw from the program at any time, and none of the information will be shared outside JPD; it’s purely for the safety of the at-risk individuals, Campbell said.
Sgt. Brian Dallas was the source of the idea, Mercer said. He didn’t know of other departments using a similar program, Mercer said, but he wouldn’t be surprised if there were.
Several applications had already been received Wednesday morning since the program had been announced the afternoon before, Mercer said.
Those wishing to register for the ARC program should go to https://juneau.org/police/arc and fill out the form, Campbell said. To submit the form, email it at arcprogram@juneaupolice.com or drop it off at the police station during working hours.
• Contact reporter Michael S. Lockett at (757) 621-1197 or mlockett@juneauempire.com.
