Sevier COunty Sheriff's Office Special Needs Registry
The Special Needs Registry (SNR) is a database in Sevier County used to see who may need extra assistance in the event of an emergency or disaster.
If you or someone you know can answer YES to any of the following questions, the SNR could be for you:
- Do you use life-supporting devices (oxygen, ventilator, feeding tube, etc) that require electricity?
- Have you had a stroke or a head injury?
- Do you suffer from dementia or Alzheimer's disease?
- Are you paralyzed in any way or bedridden?
- Are you dependent on an assistive device (walker or wheelchair) to move around?
- Do you suffer from mental illness (anxiety, depression, or schizophrenia)?
- Would you need special transportation in the event of a disaster or evacuation (4WD, ambulance or wheelchair accessible vehicle)?
- Do you use service animals to assist you in day-to-day activities?
Take the steps to prepare for a potential emergency situation by registering with the Sevier County Sheriff's Office for the SNR.
The Sevier County SNR is designed to track older adults or people living with disabilities who may require assistance in the event of a disaster or any emergency situation.
The SNR is voluntary, free, confidential and secure. The information is updated bi-annually.
The Sevier County SNR is designed to track older adults or people living with disabilities who may require assistance in the event of a disaster or any emergency situation.
The SNR is voluntary, free, confidential and secure. The information is updated bi-annually.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Special Needs Registry?
The Registry for People with Special Needs is a Sevier County Sheriff’s Office project in partner with the community. The online registry promotes communication and gives police quick access to critical information about a registered person with disabilities in a police emergency by capturing information such as a full description, routine/favorite attractions, communication and other special needs as well as emergency contact information.
Who is eligible?
The online registry has been developed with the intent to serve all members of our community who may find their communication abilities challenged or ineffective when interacting with police. Examples of this are persons with developmental disabilities, Dementia Patients or other endangered individuals. The Sevier County Sheriff’s Office encourages all endangered persons to be registered.
If I do not live in Sevier County, Tennessee, can I still register my child/ dependent adult on the registry?
If you do not live in Sevier County but your child/dependent adult comes to Sevier County on a regular basis (i.e. for work, daycare, school, etc), then you should register. If the registrant is not in Sevier County regularly, there would be almost no benefit to registering.
As soon as I send the registration, will the information be immediately available in case police response is required?
No. The registration form will need to be entered in order to capture all relevant information. The process may take up to two weeks to be fully processed.
Who has access to my child’s profile?
Sevier County Sheriff’s Office personnel who require this information in the performance of their duties will have access to the information. There are strict regulations with respect to accessing and disseminating information. The sharing of this information with other police agencies during an emergency can be helpful when a person is registered in Sevier County but wanders off in another jurisdiction.
Can I update my profile more than every year if there are changes? How do I do that?
You may, however, only information that has a significant impact on policing response will be necessary. Some examples would include a change in address, school, or emergency contact. You do not need to report a change in haircut, color for example, as the police are familiar with the changes that can be made and are more likely to notice height, weight and eye color. Changes can be made on a new registry form.
Will I be notified when the annual renewal is required?
The renewals are the sole responsibility of the parent/guardian. The registration is good for one year and it is recommended that you renew your registration annually on the registrant’s birthday.
After my child/dependent is registered, and if there is an incident, do I need to do something to notify the police?
It is preferable that you let the police know that the individual is already registered. In doing so, the information will be immediately disseminated to the vehicles without having to ask the parents/guardians during a high stress situation.
How will this registry help if my child/ dependent adult goes missing?
If the individual goes missing and is reported by the parent/guardian, information about his/her physical appearance, the most likely places where he/she would go to, as well as triggers, stimulants, and de-escalation techniques will be sent to every police officer in the area to look for the missing person. If the individual has not been reported and is capable of effectively communicating his/her name to an officer, a computer check of the neighborhood, coupled with physical appearance, and may allow us to identify the individual more quickly. This will then allow us to use the contact information to connect with the parents/guardians.
What guarantees do we have that the interaction between our child/ dependent adult and the police will be positive once he/she is registered?
There is no guarantee with this registry of a positive outcome. What the registry allows is the ability for patrol officers to have necessary information faster to begin searching. Also, if an officer comes across a “wandering” person who is unable to communicate, the officer, if they recognize the condition, can view the data in the registry for persons that live in the area by map and Computer Aided Dispatch Alerts. What is important to stress is that simply having a person registered with the registry is not going to change police response in every instance involving an individual with special needs. Police will act according to procedure depending on circumstances. An individual with special needs can still be arrested. In that case, being registered will assist police in contacting the correct people.
What is the Special Needs Registry?
Law Enforcement and other first responders frequently have contact with residents who have communication, cognitive and physical needs that make providing services to them more difficult. Emergency situations often create high anxiety, excitement and physical demands thus exuberayting these pre-existing conditions. In effort to preemptively address these needs, the Sevier County Sheriff’s Office has embarked on an initiative to better assist our residents and visitors with special needs.
Special needs can include, but are not limited to, elderly, dementia, Alzheimer’s, autistic, or any other cognitive or physical condition which may require specific attention or assistance in an emergency. SCSO Deputies are compiling an alert message flag that will provide first responders with the information that they need to help a special needs resident who is without their caregiver, who may have wandered from home, or who otherwise is in need of assistance.
As Deputies come in contact with special needs residents, they will be asking their caregivers to voluntarily complete our online “Special Needs Registry” form. This form will provide Deputies with vital information to ensure the special needs resident is properly cared for in an emergency situation. All information in the registry will be held in strict confidence.
Our Goal of the Program:
The registry promotes communication and gives police quick access to critical information about a registered person with special needs. The Registry can provide police with emergency contact information, detailed physical descriptions, known routines, favorite attractions, or special needs of the individual who is registered. This information can assist Deputies in communicating with, locating a residence for, or handling an emergency involving an individual with special needs.
How do I register?
In order to register, complete our online Special Needs Registry form, please remember to include a recent photo.
What is the Special Needs Registry?
The Registry for People with Special Needs is a Sevier County Sheriff’s Office project in partner with the community. The online registry promotes communication and gives police quick access to critical information about a registered person with disabilities in a police emergency by capturing information such as a full description, routine/favorite attractions, communication and other special needs as well as emergency contact information.
Who is eligible?
The online registry has been developed with the intent to serve all members of our community who may find their communication abilities challenged or ineffective when interacting with police. Examples of this are persons with developmental disabilities, Dementia Patients or other endangered individuals. The Sevier County Sheriff’s Office encourages all endangered persons to be registered.
If I do not live in Sevier County, Tennessee, can I still register my child/ dependent adult on the registry?
If you do not live in Sevier County but your child/dependent adult comes to Sevier County on a regular basis (i.e. for work, daycare, school, etc), then you should register. If the registrant is not in Sevier County regularly, there would be almost no benefit to registering.
As soon as I send the registration, will the information be immediately available in case police response is required?
No. The registration form will need to be entered in order to capture all relevant information. The process may take up to two weeks to be fully processed.
Who has access to my child’s profile?
Sevier County Sheriff’s Office personnel who require this information in the performance of their duties will have access to the information. There are strict regulations with respect to accessing and disseminating information. The sharing of this information with other police agencies during an emergency can be helpful when a person is registered in Sevier County but wanders off in another jurisdiction.
Can I update my profile more than every year if there are changes? How do I do that?
You may, however, only information that has a significant impact on policing response will be necessary. Some examples would include a change in address, school, or emergency contact. You do not need to report a change in haircut, color for example, as the police are familiar with the changes that can be made and are more likely to notice height, weight and eye color. Changes can be made on a new registry form.
Will I be notified when the annual renewal is required?
The renewals are the sole responsibility of the parent/guardian. The registration is good for one year and it is recommended that you renew your registration annually on the registrant’s birthday.
After my child/dependent is registered, and if there is an incident, do I need to do something to notify the police?
It is preferable that you let the police know that the individual is already registered. In doing so, the information will be immediately disseminated to the vehicles without having to ask the parents/guardians during a high stress situation.
How will this registry help if my child/ dependent adult goes missing?
If the individual goes missing and is reported by the parent/guardian, information about his/her physical appearance, the most likely places where he/she would go to, as well as triggers, stimulants, and de-escalation techniques will be sent to every police officer in the area to look for the missing person. If the individual has not been reported and is capable of effectively communicating his/her name to an officer, a computer check of the neighborhood, coupled with physical appearance, and may allow us to identify the individual more quickly. This will then allow us to use the contact information to connect with the parents/guardians.
What guarantees do we have that the interaction between our child/ dependent adult and the police will be positive once he/she is registered?
There is no guarantee with this registry of a positive outcome. What the registry allows is the ability for patrol officers to have necessary information faster to begin searching. Also, if an officer comes across a “wandering” person who is unable to communicate, the officer, if they recognize the condition, can view the data in the registry for persons that live in the area by map and Computer Aided Dispatch Alerts. What is important to stress is that simply having a person registered with the registry is not going to change police response in every instance involving an individual with special needs. Police will act according to procedure depending on circumstances. An individual with special needs can still be arrested. In that case, being registered will assist police in contacting the correct people.
What is the Special Needs Registry?
Law Enforcement and other first responders frequently have contact with residents who have communication, cognitive and physical needs that make providing services to them more difficult. Emergency situations often create high anxiety, excitement and physical demands thus exuberayting these pre-existing conditions. In effort to preemptively address these needs, the Sevier County Sheriff’s Office has embarked on an initiative to better assist our residents and visitors with special needs.
Special needs can include, but are not limited to, elderly, dementia, Alzheimer’s, autistic, or any other cognitive or physical condition which may require specific attention or assistance in an emergency. SCSO Deputies are compiling an alert message flag that will provide first responders with the information that they need to help a special needs resident who is without their caregiver, who may have wandered from home, or who otherwise is in need of assistance.
As Deputies come in contact with special needs residents, they will be asking their caregivers to voluntarily complete our online “Special Needs Registry” form. This form will provide Deputies with vital information to ensure the special needs resident is properly cared for in an emergency situation. All information in the registry will be held in strict confidence.
Our Goal of the Program:
The registry promotes communication and gives police quick access to critical information about a registered person with special needs. The Registry can provide police with emergency contact information, detailed physical descriptions, known routines, favorite attractions, or special needs of the individual who is registered. This information can assist Deputies in communicating with, locating a residence for, or handling an emergency involving an individual with special needs.
How do I register?
In order to register, complete our online Special Needs Registry form, please remember to include a recent photo.