MILWAUKEE — When someone is in crisis, what first responders know before they arrive can make all the difference. That's why Milwaukee Police launched the SAFER program, designed to provide officers with crucial information about individuals with mental health conditions, disabilities, or special needs before responding to calls.
When a call comes in, officers now have access to more than just an address. A SAFER alert can include a person's diagnosis, triggers, communication style, and the safest way to approach them.
"If we have someone who is autistic or nonverbal or mute, knowing that info ahead of time might give us the ability to change the way we talk to them, approach them, and interact with them," Damon said.
Families can register online at mkepdpio.org/s-a-f-e-r-program and the system holds that information for one year. A mental health expert with the National Alliance on Mental Illness or NAMI says this could prevent escalation and even save lives.
Watch: Milwaukee police launch SAFER program to improve crisis response for people with special needs
"The reality of it is that police officers are pretty much interacting with someone with special needs or mental illness on a daily basis," said Bob Hagen with NAMI.
"I think this will lead to safer interactions; it's not just understanding if I need to call for help, but it will have information that has worked in the past for that person on how to recognize if they are in crisis," Hagen said.
Monitque Evans, whose 22-year-old son lives with an intellectual disability, says the SAFER program feels like a new level of protection, especially when she's not around.
"He's 6ft, 200-pound black man, often assumed to be a threat before a threat is evident, that working against him, and add on top of that his disability, it heightens my concern times 10," Monitque said.
The program gives her relief, and she thinks it could build safer outcomes for some of the city's most vulnerable residents.
"It gives me hope, and it gives me reassurance that they will have their due diligence and take their time when approaching a scene," Monitque said.
"It can make all the difference from a great outcome to a tragic outcome," she said.
Police say the information is secure, and only works if families register. To register a loved one, visit the Milwaukee Police Department website OR CLICK HERE.
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