Latest news with #GermantownPoliceDepartment
Yahoo
4 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Program seeks to improve emergency aid for citizens with special needs
MEMPHIS, Tenn. — The Germantown Police Department is introducing a new program to help officers better serve all of their citizens. However, they need the public's help. From the moment you dial 911, every second matters when responding to an emergency. That's why the Germantown Police Department is working to improve its response times, specifically when it comes to those with special needs. GPD launched a new public safety initiative called the 'Special Needs Safety Information' program. According to the City of Germantown, family members and caregivers can share key information about their loved ones who may have difficulty communicating with first responders. That information includes the person's name, age, picture, address, and any relevant medical needs or behaviors. Germantown PD Captain Jack Antonuk says the information will help officers know more about the individual and their specific needs beforehand so they can better respond to the situation. 'If we have a missing person from 123 Main Street, when that street is entered into our police system, there would be an alert that Joe Smith resides there and has dementia and wanders off. We'd be able to provide that information quickly to all the officers that are on the street, whether they're responding to that call or not,' said Captain Jack Antonuk with the Germantown Police Department. 📡 for Memphis and the Mid-South. 📧 and have the latest top stories sent right to your inbox. Organizations advocating for the rights and personal enrichment of the lives of those with intellectual disabilities, such as The Arc Mid-South and Thrive Memphis, say they fully support the program. Carlene Leaper is the executive director for The Arc Mid-South and says knowing the behaviors of an individual in advance could help officers better de-escalate tense situations. 'A wrong situation can go bad at any time. You can misunderstand a person with autism for a person who's really having aggressive behavior, and that is not the case,' said Leaper. She says the program can also be a way to ensure that officers are staying in compliance with the ADA, which mandates that law enforcement provide services and accommodations to people with disabilities. 'If they are equipped with that information prior to, they will follow ADA and provide an accommodation to that person, and they will decrease the risk of harm,' Leaper said. Captain Antonuk says the program is 100% voluntary. He says all information will be kept confidential. The program is only for Germantown Residents. To learn more or find out if your loved one qualifies, click here. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Health
- Yahoo
Germantown Police program to speed response times for special needs residents
GERMANTOWN, Tenn. — The Germantown Police Department is introducing a new program to help officers better serve all of their citizens, but they need the public's help. From the moment you dial 911, every second matters when responding to an emergency. That's why the Germantown Police Department is working to improve its response times, specifically when it comes to those with special needs. GPD launched a new public safety initiative called the 'Special Needs Safety Information' program. According to the city of Germantown, family members and caregivers can share key information about their loved ones who may have difficulty communicating with first responders. That information includes the person's name, age, picture, address, and any relevant medical needs or behaviors. Germantown PD Captain Jack Antonuk says the information will help officers know more about the individual and their specific needs beforehand so they can better respond to the situation. 'If we have a missing person from 123 Main Street, when that street is entered into our police system, there would be an alert that Joe Smith resides there and has dementia and wanders off,' Antonuk said. 'We'd be able to provide that information quickly to all the officers that are on the street, whether they're responding to that call or not.' Organizations advocating for the rights of those with disabilities that Your News Leader spoke to say they fully support the program. Carlene Leaper is the executive director for The Arc Mid-South and says knowing the behaviors of an individual in advance could help officers better de-escalate tense situations. 'A wrong situation can go bad at any time. You can misunderstand a person with autism for a person who's really having aggressive behavior, and that is not the case,' Leaper said. She says the program can also be a way to ensure that officers are staying in compliance with the ADA, which mandates that law enforcement provide services and accommodations to people with disabilities. 'If they are equipped with that information prior to, they will follow ADA and provide an accommodation to that person, and they will decrease the risk of harm,' Leaper said. Captain Antonuk says the program is 100 percent voluntary. He says all information will be kept confidential. The program is only for Germantown residents. To learn more or find out if your loved one qualifies, click here. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
03-06-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Germantown police investigating threat against Kennedy Middle School teachers
The Germantown Police Department is investigating a threat made toward Kennedy Middle School teachers. The Police Department learned of the threat the morning of June 2. The threat had been was emailed to the middle school over the weekend. While the email did not have much detail, it did threaten to harm teachers at the school, according to a news release from Germantown Police Chief Patrick Merten posted June 2 on the Germantown Police Department's Facebook page. Police responded, checking the area outside of the school and standing outside the school when students and staff arrived June 2. Additional police were present at the school throughout the school day. The department is actively investigating the source of the threat, the release said. Germantown Police were assisted by the Washington County Sheriff's Department, which provided a perimeter outside the school, Merten said in a June 3 email to a reporter that there will be additional police at all district schools the rest of the school year. Merten said the district has school resource officers in the schools every day and that patrol officers conduct periodic walk-throughs of the schools daily. The department plans to share any additional information on its Facebook page as that information becomes available, Merten said. Germantown School District superintendent Chris Reuter did not respond to a reporter's phone or email messages seeking comment. Contact Alec Johnson at (262) 875-9469 or Follow him on Twitter at@AlecJohnson12. This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Germantown police investigating threat at Kennedy Middle School
Yahoo
30-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Germantown Police round up herd of horses
MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Germantown Police rounded up a small herd of horses roaming through a neighborhood Friday morning. Just before 6 a.m., officers responded to a report of three loose horses near Dogwood Road and Forest Hill Irene. Video posted by the Germantown Police Department shows the horses calmly walking through a residential area under police escort. (See video above) GPD posted around 11 a.m. that all three had been safely returned to their owners. 'Fitting timing, as the Germantown Charity Horse Show trots into town next week,' GPD said. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
17-02-2025
- Yahoo
Group of teenagers kick door, tear down pride flag at local home
A family was scared and confused Saturday afternoon when they heard a loud bang at their door. [DOWNLOAD: Free WHIO-TV News app for alerts as news breaks] Dan Smith said he was sitting on the couch Saturday when a group of juveniles rain to their home on Warren Sreet. One kicked the door while another ripped their pride flag and stood down. TRENDING STORIES: Man wins $2 million off scratch-off ticket in Ohio Snow emergency issued for area counties; What does it mean? Deputies rescue 'severely malnourished' horses, goats; man facing animal cruelty charges News Center 7 reached out to Germantown Police Department who said the Smith family reported what happened, but decided not to press charges. Smith said he decided to show compassion. 'Even a juvenile record can ... it can lead to worse. We've all been kids. We've all done stupid stuff before,' Smith said. He said his family has lived here for a year and never had issues with neighbors, but a line has to be drawn when it comes to his property. 'It's the understanding what happens when you propagate hate,' Smith said. Besides not spreading hate, Smith said he really wants all young people to learn the dangers that can happen when you do something like this. 'If you try to kick in a door, you could get shot ... then you have a whole different situation,' he said. Germantown police said they will increase patrols in the area. [SIGN UP: WHIO-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter]
