Saugerties Police have launched a “Handle with Care” online registry. The goal is to give the department’s officers knowledge about community members who may have special needs like autism or suffer from cognitive disorders like Alzheimer’s and other types of dementia.
“It’s a way for us to be more familiar with the population we serve,” said Saugerties Police Chief Joseph Sinagra. “It’s a way for our officers to get more information so they know how to appropriately engage someone. We’ll know what some of their triggers may be, what some of their favorite conversations may be, what they prefer to be called, how to connect, places they usually go to.”
The online database allows families to upload a photo of a loved one — along with emergency contacts — and any other pertinent information they want police to know if officers were to come in contact with the individual.
You can register a loved one through the Saugerties Police Department’s “Handle with Care” database on the Saugerties CrimeWatch Website at https://crimewatch.net/us/ny/ulster/saugerties-pd. The information collected will not be available to the public.
Join the family! 
