BPD taking part in nationwide program 'Project Lifesaver'

BEATRICE, Neb. - A police department in southeast Nebraska is adding a layer to the duty of protect and serve.

The Beatrice Police Department is taking part in nationwide campaign known as “Project Lifesaver”. The goal is to locate individuals with cognitive impairments when they may wander off from their caregiver.

“There are a lot of different methodologies for tracking these folks, but some aren’t affordable and some don’t really work… This is a super simple, old technology way of doing things.”

Sgt. Aaron Byrne is one of several at BPD leading the charge of project lifesaver. It involves the individual wearing a band on their wrist or ankle that can be tracked using radio frequencies from a tracking device back at the station. It requires no cellular service or satellites.

Byrne says families traveling with some who suffers from cognitive impairments like autism, dementia, or Alzheimer may base travel plans around cities using project life saver. 

“God forbid they stay at a hotel and their kid who has Autism takes off, an autistic kid who’s non-verbal, young, they talk off, what are their options?” Byrne said. “They’re in a city they don’t know, but their child is wearing a project lifesaver bracelet and they can call the Beatrice Police Department knowing we participate in this.”

The campaign is still in the early stages as the department continues to work on funding to help it grow. Currently, it’s going on donations from the Julia Rose Foundation.

Chief Jay Murphy says the department has done trial runs and despite funding, the goal of project lifesaver remains the same.

“Our main goal is to make sure the kids get back home safe or the adults get back home safe,” Murphy said. “You can’t really base that on money, but everything has a cost to it.”