South Eastern Massachusetts Law Enforcement Council

Search and Rescue

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Wednesday, Feb. 14, 2018

Media Contact: John Guilfoil
Phone: 617-993-0003
Email: john@jgpr.net

Photos: SEMLEC Search and Rescue Holds Successful Training Exercise in Dartmouth

DARTMOUTH — The Southeastern Massachusetts Law Enforcement Council (SEMLEC) reports that members of its Search and Rescue unit held a successful training session at a Dartmouth nature preserve on Tuesday.

The training exercises took place on the property of the Dartmouth Natural Resources Trust near Cornell Farm on Smith Neck Road.

The officers trained with SafetyNet tracking device technology. The personal devices, worn as bracelets, are meant to help locate missing people who are at-risk due to illness or disorders like dementia, epilepsy, autism and Down syndrome.

The officers separated into groups and successfully located multiple tracking bracelets that were hidden in the woods. Each bracelet had its own unique frequency that the officers followed with tracking beacons.

The groups then participated in mock searches where they located two officers who were each wearing one of the bracelets and hiding in separate locations in the woods.

“We have hundreds of residents throughout Plymouth and Bristol counties that wear these devices and every minute that goes by when an at-risk person is missing is crucial,” said Dartmouth Police patrolman Scott Affonce, who helped to lead the training session. “This training is a vital resource for our officers when active search operations are initiated and our unit is mobilized.”

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