DAVIE (CBS4) – Finding a missing loved-one that has wandered off can be as simple as tracking a radio signal.

Lojack, a device traditionally installed in vehicles has allowed law enforcement to find stolen cars, but now it can help find people who have wandered away from home when the technology is part of a piece of jewelry.

The Davie Police Department has joined the Lojack SafetyNet program that provides wrist or ankle bracelets for people suffering from cognitive issues such as Alzheimer’s Disease or Autism who may wander off and become lost.

The SafetyNet program is offered to qualified law enforcement and public safety agencies at no cost, according to the SafetyNet Web site. The free training includes learning how to use the search and rescue equipment and in-depth training and certification of it, technology and procedures for performing a search and rescue operation.

Police also receive training on how to communicate with people afflicted with cognitive disorders, which is essential to the successful rescue of missing people who wander.

How does it work?

Caregivers who participate give information about the person wearing the bracelet or anklet that goes into a secure database.

This information helps rescue workers identify the person they are searching for.

Meanwhile, the person wearing the device can be tracked by a radio frequency signal that is sent out from the bracelet or anklet.

The radio frequency operates even if the person is located in or around a densely wooded area, in a garage or in a building.

Additionally, it delivers the utmost precision in “last mile” tracking, which enables police to pinpoint the precise location of the missing person, according to the Web site.

While the service is not yet covered by private insurance companies, it is covered by Medicaid in select states, according to Lojack.

Anybody interested in this program should click here Lojack Safetynet or at 1-877-434-6384 or Officer T. Richards of the Davie Police Department at tiffany_richards@davie-fl.gov.

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