(July 13, 2017) The Berlin Police Department announced on Monday the implementation of a new Special Needs Alert Program, or SNAP.
According to a release, the program is designed to aid law enforcement officers in contacting and locating Berlin residents with special needs. The program is available for those who live, work or regularly frequent the town.
The release said the program would include those with Alzheimer’s disease, autism, Down syndrome, dementia and those with impaired hearing and vision.
Police Chief Arnold Downing elaborated on the program at a Town Council meeting on Monday.
“Aaron Titerence, one of our young officers, came up with the idea,” Downing said. “He said I really do think this is something that will be able to benefit the residents and the customers of the town of Berlin.”
Downing said he contacted Jack Ferry, executive director of the Worcester County Developmental Center in Newark.
“The first thing he said [was] that is such a wonderful idea and this is something we’ve been trying to do in the county for a long period of time,” Downing said.
He said Ferry gave him a few suggestions, which were implemented.
“We really started feeling good about the possibility of initiating this program [with Ferry’s endorsement],” Downing said.
Individuals or family members can sign up for the program on a volunteer basis. Downing said he hoped to involve group homes and organizations like Go Getters and Gull Creek by the end of the year. He said the goal was to sign up 25 people by the close of 2017.
“We’ll be able to get a photo and say what those special needs are, and we’ll be able to put them inside of our [computer-aided dispatch] system,” Downing said. “When that individual comes up in our system it will be flagged, so we’ll know that if we go to this house this person is wheelchair bound, [or] this person has bipolar or some other mental illness, or he might have a trigger or a calming-type of device.
“We really feel [the program] has worked in a lot of other places and would definitely benefit this community,” he added.
Councilman Thom Gulyas enthusiastically endorsed the idea. His wife, Belinda, is the principal of the Cedar Chapel Special School in Snow Hill.
“I spoke with my wife about this and her being in special needs and education for the last 22 years … she just thought this was a brilliant idea,” Gulyas said. “This is a hell of an idea.”
Gulyas moved for the Town Council to endorse the program and said his company, ACE Printing & Mailing, would print SNAP forms free of charge.
The council support was unanimous.
Ferry, who was not present during the meeting, emailed a statement of support on Tuesday.
“SNAP is a great idea,” Ferry wrote. “With this program, Berlin is safeguarding its citizens, the police and first responders. The more tools you can give to those providing for our health and safety, the more effectively they will be able to do their jobs. Knowing where people with disabilities live and how to approach someone with a specific disability will take away some of the uncertainty they experience with any call they receive.
“Unfortunately, tragedies have occurred because officers did not know the individual had a disability. Families have had to deal with loss and officers have had to deal with remorse because the officers did not have the information that would have enabled them to properly handle the situation.
“I applaud Berlin for taking this forward-thinking step. The town has always reached out to those with special needs, and this program is just the latest example of the town’s desire to be inclusive. WCDC stands ready to help Berlin any way we can.”
For more information on SNAP, contact the Berlin Police Department at 410-641-1333.
According to a release, the program is designed to aid law enforcement officers in contacting and locating Berlin residents with special needs. The program is available for those who live, work or regularly frequent the town.
The release said the program would include those with Alzheimer’s disease, autism, Down syndrome, dementia and those with impaired hearing and vision.
Police Chief Arnold Downing elaborated on the program at a Town Council meeting on Monday.
“Aaron Titerence, one of our young officers, came up with the idea,” Downing said. “He said I really do think this is something that will be able to benefit the residents and the customers of the town of Berlin.”
Downing said he contacted Jack Ferry, executive director of the Worcester County Developmental Center in Newark.
“The first thing he said [was] that is such a wonderful idea and this is something we’ve been trying to do in the county for a long period of time,” Downing said.
He said Ferry gave him a few suggestions, which were implemented.
“We really started feeling good about the possibility of initiating this program [with Ferry’s endorsement],” Downing said.
Individuals or family members can sign up for the program on a volunteer basis. Downing said he hoped to involve group homes and organizations like Go Getters and Gull Creek by the end of the year. He said the goal was to sign up 25 people by the close of 2017.
“We’ll be able to get a photo and say what those special needs are, and we’ll be able to put them inside of our [computer-aided dispatch] system,” Downing said. “When that individual comes up in our system it will be flagged, so we’ll know that if we go to this house this person is wheelchair bound, [or] this person has bipolar or some other mental illness, or he might have a trigger or a calming-type of device.
“We really feel [the program] has worked in a lot of other places and would definitely benefit this community,” he added.
Councilman Thom Gulyas enthusiastically endorsed the idea. His wife, Belinda, is the principal of the Cedar Chapel Special School in Snow Hill.
“I spoke with my wife about this and her being in special needs and education for the last 22 years … she just thought this was a brilliant idea,” Gulyas said. “This is a hell of an idea.”
Gulyas moved for the Town Council to endorse the program and said his company, ACE Printing & Mailing, would print SNAP forms free of charge.
The council support was unanimous.
Ferry, who was not present during the meeting, emailed a statement of support on Tuesday.
“SNAP is a great idea,” Ferry wrote. “With this program, Berlin is safeguarding its citizens, the police and first responders. The more tools you can give to those providing for our health and safety, the more effectively they will be able to do their jobs. Knowing where people with disabilities live and how to approach someone with a specific disability will take away some of the uncertainty they experience with any call they receive.
“Unfortunately, tragedies have occurred because officers did not know the individual had a disability. Families have had to deal with loss and officers have had to deal with remorse because the officers did not have the information that would have enabled them to properly handle the situation.
“I applaud Berlin for taking this forward-thinking step. The town has always reached out to those with special needs, and this program is just the latest example of the town’s desire to be inclusive. WCDC stands ready to help Berlin any way we can.”
For more information on SNAP, contact the Berlin Police Department at 410-641-1333.