ADAMS, Mass. — The Police Department will roll out Project Safe Return that will allow local law enforcement to more easily identify people with developmental disabilities.
Police Chief Richard Tarsa told the Selectmen last week that the department will now provide developmentally disabled residents with metal identifications tags that will allow police to identify them through a database and better communicate with them.
"It is our goal to get these individuals safely back home and try to help them when they can't help themselves," Tarsa said. "But it can be challenging and frustrating ... sometimes you feel helpless because you know something is wrong but once these go into play, officers will have a better understanding."
Tarsa said the stainless-steel tags lace into shoes and have the department's phone number as well as an identification number. Tarsa said the number will allow the police look up the individual and find information that will help officers communicate.
"They cannot interact with you on a normal basis, which makes it very difficult for us in law enforcement when we are trying to communicate and see what the problem is," Tarsa said. "Sometimes it feels like you are up against a wall when you just want to put them at ease."
Tarsa said the individual or individual's parent can provide the department with a photo and fill out an application that identifies address, disability, likes and dislikes, favorite locations and conversation points.
The police chief has been working on the program for some time now and purchased the tags himself to move the process along.
"This will not cost the town a cent and to be honest with you to get this up and running I personally footed the bill," he said. "I think there is a need for it and I think it is a very good program because it gives us another tool."
He added that the Adams Police Department is on the cutting edge of a state effort to improve officers' ability to communicate with disabled citizens. He said the bulk of his officers have already been through training.
"Except for the new hires all of our full-time officers and sergeants have already been through training so we are ahead of this," Tarsa said. "I have seen officers start playing ball with kids and form a line of communication and a bond."
Selectman Joseph Nowak thanked Tarsa and the Adams Police Department for their efforts.
"I know there are a lot of people that have problems and if we can do anything to help those people it's a plus for all of us," he said.
Tarsa said anyone interested in the program can contact the station and he plans to reach out to the school district.
In other business last week, the board approved some Traffic Commission recommendations that included a left-turn arrow with 25 and a right-turn arrow with 25 on Upper East Hoosac Street.
Tarsa said he hopes this will slow traffic down and make drivers aware of the sharp turn.
The board also approved the placement of a flashing yellow lighted pedestrian crosswalk sign at Burt Street and Columbia Street.
"That's a busy section of town and we have Dollar General just north of that," Tarsa said. "There is high vehicle traffic and pedestrian traffic and a few years ago a pedestrian was struck by a vehicle there."
He said because of the trees in the area the crosswalk does get dark and the light will grab drivers' attention.
The final recommendation the board approved was a stop sign on the west side of Columbia Terrace where it intersects with Harding Avenue.
"I have seen it firsthand where cars come out of Columbia Terrace and they roll right into Harding Avenue without stopping," Tarsa said. "It is a problem."
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Suspect in High-Speed Adams Chase Arrested
ADAMS, Mass. — A suspect test-driving a pickup truck who led police on a wild high-speed chase on Tuesday was arrested in Adams early Wednesday morning.
The incident began at about 11:41 a.m. on Tuesday when an officer conducted a motor vehicle stop on Howland Avenue. During the stop, the operator was positively identified and was determined to have a suspended license. When ordered out of the vehicle, he fled, said police, leading law enforcement on a multijurisdictional pursuit toward the town of Florida.
A number of people posted about seeing the black pickup truck enter the Walmart parking lot; a video shows the driver surrounded by cruisers as they try to exit the parking lot at the light. Witnesses say the pickup backed into cruiser to get around the block.
The driver headed up West Shaft Road and toward Florida with Adams and North Adams Police in pursuit. The pursuit was called off at the city line.
The suspect was able to elude police but his vehicle was found abandoned in a remote location in the Savoy State Forest. It was later learned this vehicle was being test driven from a local auto dealer. With the assistance of the State Police Airwing, K9 Unit and drone unit, officers canvased the wilderness for the suspect but were unsuccessful.
Officers received information at about 3:14 a.m. on Wednesday that the suspect was in the area of Glen Street. Police say he fled on foot as officers secured a perimeter.
K9 Adam and his handler Sgt. Curtis Crane began an area search. K9 Adam was able to locate the suspect hiding in a back yard, but the suspect again ran — straight into officers on the perimeter who took him into custody.
The suspect faces a litany of charges pending from the previous day's encounter as well as the early morning contact with officers. Additional charges are pending as well from North Adams Police Department and their involvement in the apprehension.
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