Special Needs Registration

At times our officers come into contact with people of all ages who are lost. Most of the time, getting them back home is fairly simple. Other times, we encounter people who are disoriented and cannot remember their name, personal information, addresses, names of relatives, or other information that would be helpful in returning them home. This disorientation may be caused by Alzheimer's or a wide variety of medical or mental conditions.

Circumstances such as these make it difficult for officers to get the person home quickly, but more importantly, it creates an additional burden on the lost person and on the family or caregivers who may be trying to locate them.

Common Scams That Target the Elderly

Scammers tend to target elderly people, taking advantage of their isolation, ease of trust, higher savings, and lack of tech-savvy, among other things. SeniorLiving.org has compiled this guide which covers the various fraud tactics that scammers commonly use, followed by more detail on each type of fraud.

Registration Program

Melissa Police Department provides a registration program for people who may be prone to wander or become disoriented. The sole purpose of the program is to help our officers return a lost, special needs resident to their home quickly and safely.

As part of the program, we receive and store photographs, emergency contact information, and other personal information for special needs citizens. This information is made readily available to our officers. It is stored and accessed in such a manner that first responders may make faster identifications and ultimately reunite family members much quicker.

Voluntary Participation

Participation in this program is purely voluntary. The information collected is kept secure and is only used by Melissa Police Department employees to help return loved ones to their homes. The information collected under this program is confidential (Texas Government Code 552.101) and will only be used in compliance with Texas Government Code, Chapter 552.

If you would like to participate in the Special Needs Registration Form, simply print out the necessary information and return to the Melissa Police Department located at:
3411 Barker Avenue
Melissa, TX 75454