MPD officers give out home alarms to combat critical missing persons reports

MILWAUKEE (CBS 58) -- Milwaukee police officers with the MPD Sensitive Crimes Division are working to combat the number of critically missing persons reported. 

Officers say they're receiving more calls from caretakers regarding people with memory disorders wandering off.

"What we want to do is prevent them from leaving and maybe wandering off where we can't locate them as quick in this weather," said Keyona Vines, a Milwaukee police officer.

Vines said many times people with Alzheimer's, dementia and autism will wander off without the proper warm weather clothing, which makes it an even more dangerous situation during the winter months. 

"Sometimes they're up in the wee bit... of the night, and people are asleep," said Vines. "So with this alarm, it goes off if they open a door, it will definitely sound and hopefully wake up their loved ones to notify them that something is going on."

Families will get two alarms, one for a front and back door. They are free.

Officers will be at Tippecanoe Library on Milwaukee's south side getting people signed up Friday, Dec. 17 from 11:30 a.m. until 3 p.m. 

Once caretakers are signed up, an officer will need to come out to install the alarm. Officers are planning to do that the week following sign-ups.