30-01-2025
New TBI app and website aim to fast-track Silver Alert cases, protect older adults
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (WATE) — The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation officially rolled out its new TBI Find app during a meeting at the John T. O'Connor Senior Center in Knoxville. It will allow people to share information regarding Silver Alerts. In addition to that, a new website that shares ways to keep seniors safe.
'It's no secret, like a lot of states we have a growing senior population in Tennessee and along with that comes a couple of big risks,' said TBI Director David Rausch. 'These two new efforts are meant to help in those situations. The first is TBI Find. It's a new mobile application to bring new efficiency to our state's Silver Alert program. The second tool we are launching is It's about putting common sense advice and crime prevention tips in one trusted resource.'
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The website offers information on healthcare fraud prevention, cell phone and social media safety and a way to set up a care kit.
'You can upload vital information and update photographs for you and your loved ones,' Shelly Smitherman with the TBI Missing Persons Unit said. 'It can be quickly sent to law enforcement in the event that you have an emergency.'
Tennessee Department of Health Commissioner Dr. Ralph Alvarado said the app is the first of its kind in the US and is still in its infancy. They are looking at all new possibilities to help further the app and make it better for users.
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'Some folks were asking about a way to alert other folks or request a home visit. None of that has been tied into the app yet,' Dr. Alvarado said. 'I'm sure we will be taking lots of ideas when people sign up. Basically, this would be useful if we could report something else or some other information or request it from people. We will get some ideas, again this is the first of its kind in the country which is really neat. We will be forging a path for other states will be copying this and we will come up with good ideas of how that information can be shared.'
Rausch said nearly two million of the states six million residents are over the age of 60 and that number is only going to climb as more people move to the state. He added they built the app and website were built from the ground up with the help of organizations like Alzheimer's Tennessee, Area Agency on Aging and the Department of Health.
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We are told the app is there to help law enforcement find missing people quicker, it was noted that a large chunk of the success is finding missing people is the general public. The app allows direct contact to the TBI's Missing Persons Unit to streamline the dissemination of information.
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