Caring About Residents Everyday (CARE)
CARE is a program directed at our residents who live alone with special needs, or just need to be checked on each day.
CARE is another way we can give back to the community and take care of those in need.
To enter the program, you would register by filling out a CARE registration form. That form essentially gives us your name, address, date of birth, home number and cell number, vehicles owned, pets or any other information that would be relevant to an officer visiting your home. It also asks for information on any medical conditions, to include recent surgeries, mobility issues, etc; as well as the name, phone number and address of your primary care doctor and an emergency contact. The registration also requires a photograph of the participant and a key to the residence as well as a signed CARE Agreement. Once a person has successfully registered, then the registration form, signed agreement, photograph and residence key are placed in a CARE binder and stored in our Communications/Dispatch office, which is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
The participant’s responsibility:
Call into the police department’s main non-emergency number of 301-270-1100 once every day between the hours of 12 pm and 5 pm.
If the participant forgets, or is unable to call between 12 pm and 5 pm, he/she has a three hour grace period or until 8 pm to call, after which the department will attempt to initiate contact.
Notify the department at least one day prior to the date(s) of planned absences from the residence or occasions that a call into the department would not be practical.
The Communications Dispatcher’s responsibility:
When a participant calls in to check in, record the date, time and any pertinent information in the CARE program participant log.
If a participant does not call by 8 pm, place a call to the phone number(s) provided by the participant.
If contact with the participant cannot be made, place a call to the participant’s emergency contact person.
If contact still cannot be made and/or the emergency contact person cannot advise about the well-being of the participant, an officer will be dispatched to the participant’s residence.
If all of the foregoing steps fail to establish contact and/or locate the participant, note of actions taken will be put into the CARE participant log and an e-mail sent to an officer advising of the results.
The Officer’s responsibility:
Officers dispatched to check on the welfare of a participant will retrieve the photograph and residence key from the CARE binder in the Communications office.
Do a house check to ensure that everything is secure ad nothing is out of place.
If there is no answer at the door, make entry with the key provided by the participant.
If the participant is not located in the residence, secure the residence, notify the dispatcher of the results of the residential search, and return the photograph and residence key to the proper location in the CARE binder in the communications office.
To register, (1) complete the two on-line forms, print them out and turn in once completed, (2) ask for the forms at the police department lobby window, (3) or email Cathy Plevy at cathyp@takomaparkmd.gov for a copy of the Agreement and Registration form. Remember, a photograph of the registrant and a key to the residence are required as well.
