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Police roll out 'Safe for ID' and Project Lifesaver for residents with special needs
Summary
Bernards Township Police Sergeant Tracy Baldessari described a new 'Safe for ID' card and outlined Project Lifesaver tracking for residents at risk of wandering. The programs aim to speed first-responder access to diagnosis, contacts and de‑escalation information and are accessible via local registration.
At a Bernards Township town-hall, Sergeant Tracy Baldessari of the Bernards Township Police Department described two local programs intended to help residents with special needs communicate with first responders.
Baldessari said the 'Safe for ID' card (Special Assistance and Familiarization for Emergency Response) is a wallet‑ or lanyard‑sized ID that can show a photo, emergency contact details and — if a guardian chooses — a diagnosis such as autism or a hearing impairment. The back of the card allows caregivers to list atypical behaviors, known triggers and calming techniques so officers and first responders have concise, actionable information during encounters. "We started the Safe for ID program," Baldessari said, explaining forms and business cards with registration details would be left at town hall.
She also discussed Project Lifesaver, a wearable non‑GPS transmitter used strictly for search and rescue when a person wanders or elopes; the department coordinates tracking equipment with county partners. Baldessari said data from local registrations are entered into a law‑enforcement database and linked with a county Public Safety AID portal so authorized first responders can access information across jurisdictions.
Residents were told to contact Sergeant Baldessari by email to receive a fillable registration form or to take available flyers and business cards at the event. Sherry Nelson, a local advocate who attended the meeting, said her son received a DMV pink non‑driver ID and welcomed the police registration as a complementary option.
Baldessari said the programs aim to reduce miscommunication during emergency encounters, help first responders identify and de‑escalate atypical behaviors, and speed reunification in missing‑person searches.
