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New tracking devices in Phila. for at-risk residents
Autistic children, victims of Alzheimer's Disease and others at risk of wandering off could be tracked with technology proposed in a new initiative by City Councilman Jack Kelly today.
Contact staff writer Jeff Shields at 215-854-4565 or jshields@phillynews.com.
With $25,000 from the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 98, Kelly and the Philadelphia Police hope to distribute a limited number plastic wristbands to individuals at risk of getting lost. Equipping every candidate will require additional funding.
The bracelets emit a radio signal that can be tracked by specially trained police teams with equipment that traces the signal within a certain range. Project Lifesaver, the nonprofit organization that sponsors such initiatives throughout the country, says that its system has not lost one person in 1,600 rescues. The radio signal is cheaper and more reliable than GPS tracking systems, according to the group's web site.
Kelly will offer more details at a 1 p.m. press conference. Joining him will be electricians' chief John J. Dougherty, fresh off an unsuccessful primary run for state Senate.
Contact staff writer Jeff Shields at 215-854-4565 or jshields@phillynews.com.
