The “Take Me Home” Program is a regional photo-based information system hosted by the Sheriff’s Department accessible by all Law Enforcement in San Diego. It is designed to assist Law Enforcement (Police and Sheriff) during contacts with members of the community who have disabilities such as, but not limited to Autism, Dementia, Alzheimer’s, Down syndrome, deafness or any other Developmental Disabilities.
The “Take Me Home” Program is a regional photo-based information system hosted by the Sheriff’s Department accessible by all Law Enforcement in San Diego. It is designed to assist Law Enforcement (Police and Sheriff) during contacts with members of the community who have disabilities such as, but not limited to Autism, Dementia, Alzheimer’s, Down syndrome, deafness or any other Developmental Disabilities.
The program promotes communication and gives Law Enforcement access to critical information about the individual enrolled. The Take Me Home Program can provide Law Enforcement with emergency contact information, detailed physical descriptions, and photograph of the individual, known routines, favorite attractions, or special needs of the individual. This information can assist Law Enforcement in communicating with, locating a residence for, or handling an emergency involving an individual with special needs. This program has photo recognition technology attached to it. If an individual is located and cannot communicate, a photograph of the individual can be taken in the field, sent electronically and checked against those in Take Me Home Program for similar or match.
How do I enter the program?
The easiest way to enter is by clicking the REGISTER ONLINE NOW button above. This allows you to register for the program and submit a photo electronically from a desktop computer, iPad, iPhone or Android device.
The Sheriff has also partnered with several organizations in the community. These organizations are listed below and have entry access to the Take Me Home Program. You can contact the listed organizations and request to meet and have your person entered into the Take Me Home Program through them. Contacting these organizations is also beneficial as they are able to provide guidance, education, and support.
San Diego Regional Center, (858) 576-2966, 4355 Ruffin Rd, Suite 200, San Diego, Ca 92123
www.sdrc.org
ARC, (619) 685-1175, 3030 Market Street, San Diego, Ca 92102, www.arc-sd.com
Alzheimer’s San Diego, (858) 492-4400, 6632 Convoy Court, San Diego, Ca 92111, www.alzsd.org
Autism Society of San Diego, (858) 715-0678, 4699 Murphy Canyon Rd., San Diego, Ca 92123
www.autismsocietysandiego.org
You can also download and print the document, fill it out and have it entered by a Sheriffs Crime Prevention Specialist. Once the application is filled out, contact the Crime Prevention Specialist at one of the Sheriff’s Stations and schedule an appointment.
Register annually
The system is designed that once you register via a valid email address, you will receive annual renewal notification on the date of birth of the individual in the system. This will be a reminder to check your entry, update it with any critical information or changes that have occurred over the last year and also submit an updated photograph of the individual.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS:
What is the Take Me Home Program?
The registry promotes communication and gives Law Enforcement quick access to critical information about a registered person with disabilities in a police emergency by capturing information such as a full description, routine/favorite attractions, communication, emergency contact information, as well as other special needs the registered person may require.
Who is eligible?
The registry has been developed with the intent to serve all members of our community who may find their communication abilities challenged or ineffective when interacting with police.
Can I submit my form & photo on-line?
Yes – When you register online you will be directed to submit a photo. There will also be directions on the type of photo to submit. Passport style photos taken from the shoulders up work best.
As soon as I send the registration, will the information be immediately available in case police response is required?
Not immediately. The registration will need to be reviewed by program staff prior to being made available to law enforcement. The delay should be minimal.
Who has access to my loved ones profile?
Only Law Enforcement employees who require this information in the performance of their duties will have access to the information. There are strict regulations with respect to accessing and disseminating information.
Can I update my profile more than every year if there are changes? How do I do that?
You may, however, only information that has a significant impact on policing response will be necessary. Some examples would include a change in address, school, or emergency contact. If you have registered online you can access your account via your username and password to make the changes and re-submit.
Will I be notified when the annual renewal is required?
If you have registered with a valid address you will be notified annually via email on the date of birth of the person entered.
After my child/dependent adult is registered, and if there is an incident, do I need to do something to notify the police?
Yes, please let the dispatcher know that the individual is registered in the TAKE ME HOME program. In doing so, the information will be immediately disseminated to Law Enforcement.
How will this registry help if my child/dependent adult goes missing?
If the individual goes missing and is reported by the parent/guardian, information about his/her physical appearance, the most likely places where he/she would go to, as well as triggers, stimulants, and de-escalation techniques will be sent to all Law Enforcement and Law Enforcement volunteers in the area to look for the missing person.
What guarantees do we have that the interaction between our child/dependent adult and the police will be positive once he/she is registered?
What the program allows is the ability for patrol deputies / officers to have necessary & additional information faster to begin searching.
Also, if a deputy / officer come across a lost person who is unable to communicate, the deputy / officer, if they are able to recognize the condition, can have the database queried for persons on the registry that live in the area. If a valid photo has been provided, Deputies can also use facial recognition software to identify the individual. The deputy would take a photo in the field and submit it electronically to be checked for possible matches.
What is important to remember is that simply having a person in the registry is not necessarily going to change Law Enforcement response in every instance involving an individual with special needs.
Law Enforcement will act according to policy, procedure, and best practice depending on the circumstances presented. Additionally, an individual with special needs can still be arrested, should he or she break the law. In that case, being registered will assist Law Enforcement in contacting family.
