Framingham Police Getting Drone Program In The Air

FRAMINGHAM, MA — Framingham police this week began accepting bids for a drone program that aims to track people with disabilities during search-and-rescue efforts.

In November, Framingham got a $122,725 grant from the U.S. Department of Justice's Kevin and Avonte program. The grant allows Framingham to buy wristwatches that act as tracking devices for local residents with Alzheimer's disease, autism and dementia.

Police can then use drones to track the wristwatches to more easily find people who wander or go missing.

"Research has shown that six in 10 people with dementia will wander, and children with autism are similarly at risk to elope. This frightening occurrence can be dangerous to the individual and incredibly stressful for their family," Framingham said in its 2021 grant application.

Framingham plans to buy 225 tracking wristwatches with the grant from the company SafetyNet, plus drone systems.

The Kevin and Avonte program is named for two autistic boys who died after wandering from home. Kevin Curtis Wills, 9, drowned in the Raccoon River in Iowa in 2008, and Avonte Oquendo, 14, drowned in New York City's East River in 2014.