Full Notification

SMPD Launches Project Guardian

The San Mateo Police Department launches Project Guardian, a voluntary registry for vulnerable persons, created to aid both vulnerable individuals and first responders in an emergency.

San Mateo, CA – Since Chief Ed Barberini’s arrival to the San Mateo Police Department in 2020, the department has participated in many training programs and initiatives to enhance the department’s ability to protect and to serve its most vulnerable community members. In September 2020, all police officers completed the Alzheimer’s Association Education Center’s class “Understanding Alzheimer’s and Dementia;” where officers learned about the differences, stages, resources, and treatment of the two conditions. In June 2021, the department launched a therapy canine program designed to provide an outlet from the mental, physical, psychological effects of experienced trauma. In December 2021, the department was one of four agencies participating in San Mateo County’s Community Wellness and Crisis Response Pilot Project. This project engages a mental health clinician to work alongside officers to de-escalate certain high-risk emergency calls and to provide compassionate and proper care and follow-up for those individuals experiencing a mental health crisis. In May 2022, SMPD pursued specialized training in Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). The Autism Program at John Hopkins All Children’s Hospital provided training on behaviors commonly associated with ASD, imparted skills needed to respond to encounters with ASD individuals and led virtual reality training for officers.  

Project Guardian is another innovative step forward in improving the department’s engagement with community members who may be vulnerable, have special needs, or react differently when contacted by law enforcement officers. Project Guardian is a free and voluntary program that encourages caregivers, family members, and loved ones to submit background information, physical characteristics, health history and a recent photo of the vulnerable person into a form on the department’s website. The information will be entered into a database maintained by the department. In the event of an emergency, the critical information provided for those individuals will be accessible if officers encounter them during a call for service. The Project Guardian database information will be kept confidential and only be provided to officers if they respond to a call for service involving a registered program participant. Once enrolled, families are mailed a Project Guardian decal to place on their front doors or windows to notify officers that someone in the residence is enrolled in the program.

Project Guardian will benefit both those registered in the program as well as SMPD officers. The department recognizes that interacting with police officers can be a stressful situation for many people, but for people with autism, developmental or intellectual disabilities, or dementia, the interaction can feel frightening or traumatic. 

Project Guardian strives to help officers avoid causing unnecessary stress and trauma by notifying them that the person they are about to interact with has a condition which may affect said interaction. In addition, officers will be better prepared for the call for service, supplied with information that may aid in calming, locating, and engaging with an individual who may not be able to communicate effectively during an emergency.

For more information on Project Guardian or to register a loved one, visit https://www.cityofsanmateo.org/Project-Guardian.

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