CHANDLER, Ariz. — The Chandler Police Department is highlighting the success of its “Return Me Safe” program, an initiative designed to help officers locate and assist community members with developmental disabilities.

The voluntary registry allows families to share critical information with police — including photos, behavioral notes, and tips for positive interactions — before an emergency occurs. That preparation proved invaluable on July 16, when a concerned business owner reported seeing an 11-year-old boy, who was nonverbal, walking alone near Ocotillo Road.

From the department’s Real-Time Operations Center, officers quickly located the teen and dispatched a patrol unit. The responding officer already knew key details thanks to the program.

“The parents had taken the time to enrol

See Full Page