‘Special Persons Registry’ aims to improve relations between police and people with special needs, mental illness

FLORIDA – A new Florida law will go into effect next year aimed at improving relations between police and people with special needs or mental illness.

The law is called the “Special Persons Registry” or the “Protect Our Loved Ones Act.”

Anyone with developmental or psychological disabilities qualifies for the registry. This can include but is not limited to people with dementia, Alzheimer’s, autism, or mental disorders.

Thousands of people are listed as missing or endangered in Florida. Some of these missing people were diagnosed with developmental or psychological disabilities.

Lieutenant Paul Bloom of the Marion County Sheriff’s Office said the Special Persons Registry will be a game changer in how officers respond to cases involving a person with these conditions.

“Just coming across somebody, we may not have all the information that we need, but it lets us know exactly and specifically what these person’s needs are,” Bloom said.

The Special Persons Registry goes into effect on January 1, 2024. It gives local law enforcement agencies across the state permission to create a database for people with developmental or psychological disabilities. This information is given voluntarily by that individual or their loved one if they can’t do it themselves.

Documentation like a birth certificate and proof of eligibility will be required to enroll in the registry.

“If there is something that helps us narrow down our search or provide information on this person that may help us. For instance, some autistic children are drawn to water. There may be some notes there on the registry that says this child is lost, they may be drawn to water, so we want to go look there first,” Bloom said.

Two years ago, two Jacksonville boys aged four and five were found dead in a retention pond after being reported missing. The children were diagnosed with autism and were nonverbal.

On Christmas Day of 2022, Paula Gerding was found dead on Mandarin High School’s campus. She was reported missing and diagnosed with Alzheimer’s.

Data shows nearly 50% of individuals with intellectual or developmental disabilities and 60% of individuals with dementia will wander at some point in their lives.

Lieutenant Bloom says the registry information will be shared with law enforcement agencies across Florida.

So, if your loved one travels to another county, law enforcement there will be able to access this information.