The Queensland Police Service (QPS) has partnered with not-for-profit organisation Australian MedicAlert Foundation to launch the Safe and Found initiative in Queensland.
The partnership will significantly expand the organisation's capability to assist with missing person investigations and search and rescue operations.
The initiative assists people living with dementia, autism or a cognitive impairment who might be at risk of becoming lost or reported as missing, by having information from MedicAlert at hand about possible locations or specific behaviour of the person if they go wandering.
Data from the Alzheimer's Association and Dementia Australia, estimates that six out of 10 people living with dementia will wander at least once with an estimated 421,000 people in Australia with dementia.
Approximately 80,000 people in Queensland currently diagnosed with dementia and more than 150,000 children with autism. This equates to hundreds of Queenslanders being reported as lost or missing each year.
Western Australia Police Force first launched the initiative in 2021 and successfully located 28 vulnerable missing persons within the first year of the program's operation. Since its inception, 95 per cent of members who have wandered were found in under two hours.
QPS Missing Persons Unit (MPU) is now partnering with MedicAlert Foundation to roll out the initiative in Queensland, allowing authorised QPS officers to access this information to enhance the location of those persons if they are to go wandering.
Within the 2023/2024 financial year, the QPS recorded a total of 1,059 search and rescue operations. 18 of those searches were identified as relating to persons living with dementia or Alzheimer's.
Detective Senior Sergeant Duncan Gorrie from QPS MPU said having access to this information will greatly assist missing person investigations and search and rescue operations.
"By having access to more data and information about vulnerable persons, we're able to quickly locate people if they are to go wandering,' Detective Senior Sergeant Gorrie said.
"If a person goes missing, the search area is four square kilometres after the first 15 minutes but after two hours, the search area becomes 200 square kilometres.
"Time is critical in these situations and having access to vital information about these people in these circumstances will greatly assist in us in saving lives and reducing harm to the community."
Chris Radbone, CEO of MedicAlert, said they're dedicated to assisting Police and Emergency Services in locating persons who may be at risk of becoming lost.
"Safe and Found supports people with autism, dementia, acquired brain injury, communication concerns and other cognitive impairments to stay safe and active in the community," Mr Radbone said.
"We partner with families to ensure police have immediate access to critical information in an emergency.
"With Queensland on board with this initiative, Safe and Found now covers more than 70 per cent of Australia's land mass which will help reduce the anguish and concern faced by family members and carers when a person goes missing."
Western Australia Police Forces' Safe and Found Coordinator, Senior Constable Therese Wilson said the program has been incredibly successful since its inception in 2021.
"What we know from our first year of the program is that we were able to access information from MedicAlert to locate missing persons within two hours of them going missing," Senior Constable Wilson said.
"This significantly reduces the amount of time they're out in the elements and ultimately reduces the harm they may otherwise suffer.
"We've had huge success from this initiative and implore all policing agencies to partner with the program."
For more information about the Safe and Found initiative or to sign up your family member or loved one, visit: https://www.safeandfound.org.au/.
