The Wandering Database was created in Belfast Maine in April 2014 as a result of a conversation between Police Chief Michael McFadden and Linda Lee, HANS, whose son has autism. Lee had gone to speak with McFadden about the availability of tracking devices since she was concerned about her son getting lost. No tracking devices were available; however having a database available to identify individuals at risk for wandering and being able to provide it to the fingertips of the officers in their cruisers in real time, including a photograph, seemed very attractive to Chief McFadden. 

Just a few nights prior to their conversation  a man in his eighties had been out wandering in below zero weather, in his pajamas and slippers on a major road at two in the morning. The man did not know his name, or phone number, or where he lived. Thankfully, he was willing to get into a Good Samaritan’s car and was brought to the police station. It took several hours before the police could unravel his identity.  His family was not even aware that their elderly family member had gone missing as he had slipped out of the house unnoticed while they were all asleep.  

McFadden, Lee, and Owen Smith, 911 Communica- tions Director for Waldo County were able to create the Wandering Database by using existing computer systems. Thanks to this program if a loved one who is prone to wander has been preregistered, their photo and key information, including “triggers“ is immediately available to the police officers via the cruiser computer.  While in the community police officers can also search the photos in the database to identify someone who they have spotted out wandering and contact their family.

Registration requires filling out a simple form and attaching a photo. There is no cost for this service, and all information is kept confidential.