Missing persons programs give families peace of mind

For Sara Davis, few things compare to spending time with Grandma or being wherever the “big kids” are.

But in the event the 9-year-old Downers Grove-area girl ever goes missing, her mother says she'll take comfort in the fact police already have an idea of where to look.

“She's very independent, smart and wanting to do everything by herself,” Marcy Davis said of Sara, who has Down syndrome. “However, there's always the risk that she could take off or get lost in a crowd and not be able to communicate with anybody.”

Sara is one of about 60 DuPage County residents taking part in the Sheriff's Program for At-Risk Residents, or SPARR, which launched in 2008. Officials describe it as a tool for families to familiarize police with their disabled loved ones before misfortune has a chance to bring them together.

Detective Sgt. Jeff Christiansen said the free program is tailored to both adults and children with a variety of intellectual disabilities and medical issues, from autism and Down syndrome to Alzheimer's and dementia.

The goal, he said, is to “get ahead of the game” by building profiles of residents most likely to become lost or go missing.

In such an emergency, officers would have immediate access to photographs of the participant, as well as information about their likes, dislikes, nicknames, medical history and other details that might aid in finding them.

“We kind of get to know them, and they get to know us,” Christiansen said. “Then we know how to approach them with the most appropriate response we can have.”

How it works

In the SPARR program, details matter.

Families begin by inviting sheriff's deputies to their homes to meet the participant and collect information. The registered person is photographed and armed with a rubber bracelet, which bears an identification number and instructions on how to contact the sheriff's office.

Depending on participants' histories, Christiansen said, officers might note their former home and work addresses, or try to find out whether anything in particular frightens them or appeals to them.

All the information is compiled into a computerized report which, with a family's permission, can be shared with surrounding law enforcement agencies in the event of an emergency.

For Christiansen, whose 7-year-old son Ryan has Down syndrome, the program offers a sense of reassurance because officers would know his son's nickname and that he's drawn to police cars and ice cream, for instance.

“It takes the stress off the family, and it definitely gives you peace of mind,” said Christiansen, who was tapped by DuPage Sheriff John Zaruba to spearhead the program. “It's just more information that can help him (Ryan) in the event of an emergency.”

Around the 'burbs

The DuPage sheriff's office is just one of several police agencies across the suburbs to launch pre-emptive people-finder programs in recent years. Some of them were prompted by the Illinois Premise Alert Program Act, a law that took effect in August 2009 and calls on law enforcement to offer such services “based on funding availability.”

In McHenry County, the sheriff's office teamed up with the county's Mental Health Board about two years ago to launch a program that incorporates radio wave technology to locate registered missing persons.

Sheriff's Deputy Aimee Knop said officers build profiles similar to those in DuPage, but rather than wearing a rubber bracelet, participants receive bracelets that police can track by radio.

The program is open to residents of unincorporated McHenry County who require 24-hour care and have a diagnosed disability, a history of wandering and problems communicating.

Roughly $5,000 in donations allowed the sheriff's office to buy the equipment necessary to get the program rolling about two years ago. Families pay a one-time fee of $200.

The program also is available to residents in the towns of McHenry, Huntley, Crystal Lake and Woodstock, who each use the same technology in their own communities, Knop said.

“It's been going a couple years, and we're trying to get other police departments to come on,” she said. “We want to be proactive to help people feel safe and stay in their community.”

“These programs also aid law enforcement,” she said. “They're resources that allow us to be more efficient and to find that loved one quicker and bring them home, because time is of the essence.”

In Lake County, officers take a different route.

Sheriff's Lt. Christopher Thompson said the free RUOK Program is tailored toward elderly residents and those with special needs. Participants can register to receive a personal phone call from the sheriff's office five days a week.

The program, which is in its eighth year, has about 10 participants. Thompson said callers generally ask whether the participant is doing OK and make sure their utilities are running, particularly during extreme temperatures.

“Really, we're there to help out in any way we can,” he said. “If we don't get a response, we send a unit over there just to verify they're OK.”

The Kane County Sheriff's office also has a Family Finder program, which mirrors efforts in DuPage and at other police departments, including Elgin.

Lt. Kevin Williams said the effort began about two years ago, but so far has drawn just a handful of participants. “Fortunately for us, we have not had an incident,” he said. “But it does work, from what we've seen at other departments like Elgin. It's a great tool. The fact is, we can find people quicker than if they walk away and no one has any information at all about them.”

“We've all got to work together to keep our seniors and disabled safe,” Williams said.

Cost vs. benefit

For the most part, missing persons programs have virtually no cost, officers say, other than the time it takes to compile a report and log it into a computer.

But police and participants agree the reward is great, because it not only provides peace of mind, but bridges a gap between community and law enforcement.

“It's not the fix-all to everybody,” Christiansen said. “But it's a step in the right direction.”

Marcy Davis also sees a benefit in her daughter Sara getting acquainted with police.

“It's important for us to have them come out, because it's good for our kids to see the police are good, safe people,” she said. “Sara is wary of strangers, so the more people she knows in the community the more safe she is.”

Find out more

Here's where to go for information about the programs featured in this story:

Ÿ DuPage County SPARR, (630) 407-2400 or www.co.dupage.il.us/sheriff

Ÿ Kane County Family Finder, (630) 208-2042 or www.kanesheriff.com

Ÿ Lake County RUOK, (847) 377-4000 or www.lakecountyil.gov/sheriff

Ÿ McHenry County Premise Alert Program, (815) 338-2144 or www.co.mchenry.il.us/departments/sheriff