A local police department in Denton County is using a new system to help officers with missing person cases.
The Corinth Police Department has employed a new database called “Find My Home.”
Find My Home is a program intended for those with special needs who cannot easily identify themselves, such as those with dementia, those who have suffered a stroke or other debilitating health events, and children with “intellectual or cognitive disabilities,” according to the Corinth Police Department. The database contains identifying information such as individuals’ names, current photos, demographic data, addresses, and physical attributes.
The system is only available to residents of Corinth and Shady Shores.
Police can use the information provided by the database when a caregiver or loved one alerts them that the person has gone missing or otherwise requires assistance.
Officers can also have access to detailed instructions on how to interact with the individual if and when they are located.
“A good thing about this is the information we gather includes manners of communication,” said Lt. Jimmie Gregg of the Corinth Police Department, according to the Denton Record-Chronicle. “With some of these individuals, they may be afraid of cops or afraid of flashing lights. That’ll give us a heads-up before we even confront them.”
Officials said they believe that the new system will greatly decrease the time needed to gather the necessary information to identify a missing person.
“It’ll take several minutes to get the information we need,” said Gregg, according to the DRC. “A lot of valuable time is lost. With this, we can gather information in a matter of a minute or two sometimes.”
Caretakers can register their loved ones with the system free of charge online or by bringing a current photo of the individual to the Corinth Police Department at 3501 FM 2181, Suite A.
“Enrollment expires after two years, so please continue to update the loved one’s status every two years or any time there is a change in health or appearance to keep the information accurate,” the program website reads.
