By Lethbridge Herald on January 29, 2025.
Alejandra Pulido-Guzman – LETHBRIDGE HERALD – apulido@lethbridgeherald.com
The Lethbridge Police Service has launched a tool developed to enhance the safety and well-being of individuals who may require additional assistance during emergencies or high-stress situations.
The Vulnerable Person Registry (VPR) is designed for those who live, work and/or attend school in Lethbridge, it is free of charge and entirely voluntary.
Const. Karly Easter, with the Police and Crisis Team (PACT) says LPS defines a vulnerable person as anybody that due to medical, mental health or physical condition may exhibit patterns of behaviour that may pose a risk to themselves or others.
She adds that the information gathered will help LPS better served those members of the community, and it can be provided by the individual or a guardian, depending on their circumstances.
“The vulnerable person or the guardian can go to the police service website and register that person. We’re going to ask them a bunch of questions and we’ll ask them for an updated picture.”
The information will be made available to officers, if there is time, so they can look up that information prior to going to serve that person in the community.
“The type of information we are asking for is what kind of medical conditions they have, preferred communication methods, what language they speak, if they are a wonderer where is a place they like to go, things they like and dislike, and things about what not to do,” says Easter.
Information gathered will also involve emergency contacts, sensory preferences and other pertinent information.
“Since being in PACT, I’ve found that having individualized information about the person we are going to help, makes it easier for us to build rapport and de-escalate that person so we can find out why they called police or what is it they need from us at that time,” says Easter.
The initiative isn’t unique to Lethbridge, as Easter got the idea from a community partner that she deals with often, who once lived in a community that had such a registry.
“I went off that agency’s registry and a couple of others and created our own that makes it work for Lethbridge,” says Easter.
Easter believes VPR is going to be of great value not only for LPS, but for anybody else they share the information with, such as Lethbridge Fire and Emergency Services.
“When I was on patrol, I saw where it could’ve been used and since being in PACT I’ve noticed there have been calls for service where, if we would’ve known the information prior to, it may have helped de-escalate the situation a little bit faster,” says Easter.
In addition to providing law-enforcement with timely information, the VPR also issues a card and decal that helps police recognize registrants. These visual identifiers can further aid anyone assisting a vulnerable person by facilitating identification and connecting them with their emergency contact.
For more information about the Vulnerable Person Registry, or to submit a registration, visit the Lethbridge Police Service website at: https://www.lethbridgepolice.ca/reporting-and-services/vulnerable-person-registry/
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