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Special Needs Registry
The Special Needs Registry is an initiative with the Maitland Police Department to improve interactions with individuals who have special needs.
Residents are invited to provide information about a loved one with special needs due to age, limited mobility or medical conditions such as Autism Spectrum Disorder, Alzheimer’s or Dementia, Bipolar Disorder, and Down Syndrome. Adults with special needs may also enroll independently. None of the fields on the form are mandatory and the information you choose to disclose is completely voluntary.
Registration Procedures:
To register applicants, their parents or guardians complete the voluntary Special Needs Registry form below. Forms can be completed online, dropped off at the Police Department, requested to be picked up by an officer, or e-mailed to the Police Department at communitypolicing@maitlandpd.org. Parents and caregivers may enroll any person of any age with any type of medical condition or disability, including but not limited to: Autism Spectrum Disorder, Alzheimer’s or Dementia, Bipolar Disorder, and Down Syndrome. Adults with special needs may also enroll themselves.
What happens once the person is registered?
Participants will receive a Maitland Police Department vinyl decal to display on or near the front door of your home. When a police officer has contact with a person listed on the registry, our 9-1-1 center can provide useful information to help the officer successfully interact and communicate with your loved one. The registry can also provide the parent or caregiver’s emergency contact information.
How will this registry help if my family member is missing?
If the registered individual is reported missing by the parent/guardian, our responding police officers have easy access to their information through the Special Needs Registry. Knowing an individual’s special needs (including triggers, stimulants, and de-escalation techniques) greatly assists our officers in locating your loved one, and safely handling an encounter. If the individual is not reported missing, but otherwise is contacted by our police officers, a computer query of our Special Needs Registry may allow us to quickly identify and reunite you with your loved one.
Who has access to my family member’s profile?
Maitland Police personnel who require this information in the performance of their official duties will have access to the information. This information may be shared with other first responders during an emergency situation, or if the registered person is missing within another jurisdiction. There are strict regulations with respect to accessing and disseminating this information.
Can I update my profile if there are changes? How do I do that?
Information can be updated anytime it might bring a significant impact on our policing response. Some examples would include a change in address, or change in emergency contact information. Changes can be made by contacting the Maitland Police Department Community Policing unit at communitypolicing@maitlandpd.org, or by submitting a new registration form.
As soon as I register, will the information be immediately available to responding police officers?
No. The content from the registration form must be entered into our internal Maitland Police Department database, and then forwarded to our emergency 9-1-1 Dispatch center. The process may take up to two weeks to finalize.