ALBANY, Ga. (WALB) — The amount of time it takes to find a missing person in Albany could soon drop to less than 30 minutes thanks to a newly implemented tracking system by the Albany Police Department (APD).

The department has officially launched Project Lifesaver, a proactive program designed to protect people with cognitive diagnoses, such as autism or dementia, who require 24-hour care and are prone to wandering.

The system relies on a simple transmitter-and-receiver setup. Participants wear a lightweight, secure wristband or ankle band containing a transmitter. If a participant goes missing, caregivers immediately notify dispatch that their loved one is enrolled.

Trained officers then head to the area with a handheld receiver. Once turned on and programmed with the participant’s unique frequency, the receiver emits an audible chirp that grows louder as officers get closer to the missing person.

“It takes away the guesswork,” said APD Corporal Lashana Hudson. “You call in, let dispatch know they are on the program, we go out in the area and locate them. Right now, the time to locate is under 30 minutes.”

Thanks to community donations, the program is completely free for Albany families. To ensure the devices never fail, APD officers will conduct home visits every 30 days to replace the transmitters’ batteries and bands and test the equipment’s functionality before they leave. Currently, three Albany officers are certified to operate the tracking receivers, with plans to train more.

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“We are very, very excited about it. Especially when you have kids with autism who go to school, parents can get the tracker on, and if something happens, we can locate them,” Hudson said.

How to Sign Up

Albany residents who are primary caregivers can apply for the program through the department’s dedicated portal.

For more information, caregivers can contact Cpl. Lashana Hudson at [email protected], or call 229-854-2090.

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