Delhi Township, OH – A new database system designed to help officers locate and provide assistance to individuals in the community who have special needs is currently being utilized in the Tri-State area.
The Bring Our Loved Ones Home (BOLO) system was initially developed as a tool to help officers effectively address the unique needs of individuals who had become lost or had wandered away from their homes. Often those with developmental disabilities or illnesses engage in what experts commonly refer to as “elopement” and have difficulty understanding general safety and traffic rules.
Law enforcement officials therefore lacked both the training and tools to answer calls effectively and thus devised a method that would assist them when providing services for members of the community. The system has been effective in aiding police officers achieve their objective as it includes information regarding the physical description and relevant health-related data of the those listed which can be accessed on the computers mounted in most police cars. The system is earning high marks from many in the community including parents like Tami Haskins, the mother of a son with ASD.
Haskins asserts:
“…We need more awareness out there. There are so many people who have issues with wandering, not just autism and they need to know that to protect those loved ones.”
Source: Local 12 WKRC Cincinnati website: Delhi database helps find people with special needs