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EXEMPLARY PROJECT: Public Safety Lock Box Program
The program was designed to help citizens at a high risk of needing emergency assistance, such as senior citizens, persons confined to bed, or persons with disabilities or medical conditions, avoid the damage and expense associated with forced entry. The police department installs a real estate-style lock box that requires a code to open, which contains a key to the front door at the citizen's residence. With this program, police and Emergency Medical Services (EMS) can enter a residence quickly without resorting to breaking in a door or window. In addition to eliminating the trauma and expense of forced entry, the program assures quick help for citizens because personnel do not have to struggle getting into the residence.
The Lock Box Program had its genesis on June 18, 2000, when Round Rock Police Officer Dean Peterson had to break in an elderly woman's door when she had fallen and couldn't get up. Officer Peterson developed and implemented the program with no precedent to follow and almost no budget. He developed the policies and procedures to make the program safe and secure, and persuaded Lowe’s Home Improvement Center and Supra Product, the manufacturer of the lock boxes, to donate 30 boxes.
The police department screens applicants to make sure they qualify for the program; records information about medical conditions, emergency contacts, alarms, pets, doctors, etc.; and issues a reflective sticker to indicate that residences are part of the program. When dispatch gets a call from a residence equipped with a lock box, the dispatcher relays the code to open the box, as well as other related information, to the responding officer. For security purposes, the code is changed once a lock box has been used to open the door. If the dispatch computer system malfunctions, officers can also look up the code manually.
As of April 2004, the program had 42 lock boxes in the field and they had been used four times. In these emergencies, the boxes worked just as Officer Peterson envisioned. They have been credited with saving time, money and lives. Officer Peterson has received numerous honors as a result of his work on the program, including the State of Texas Law Enforcement Achievement Award for Public Service.
Round Rock Police Department Round Rock, Texas
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The Round Rock (TX) Police
Department recently implemented a unique lock box program, which prevents damage
to citizens' homes when they need emergency assistance. The police install a
lock box at the homes of citizens likely to need help, so emergency personnel
need not break into the homes. 