The Lawrence Township Police Department has launched Operation Blue Angel, aimed at senior citizens who live alone or who have medical conditions that could lead them to become incapacitated.
The program, which is free, is open to residents who are at least 55 years old and who live alone or who will be alone for extended periods of time on a regular basis, Police Chief Christopher Longo said.
Operation Blue Angel also is open to residents who have a medical condition that could lead them to become incapacitated, Longo said.
Program participants will put a key to their homes in a lockbox on their property, which would allow police officers to get inside the home in case of an emergency if the officers cannot otherwise get inside.
The Operation Blue Angel program lockbox is for emergencies only. It will not be used if residents lock themselves out of their home, or for any other non-emergency situation, officials said.
The lockbox is owned and maintained by the Lawrence Township Police Department, but it is the participant’s responsibility to provide a key to the home.
“Operation Blue Angel provides peace of mind to those who qualify. The program is another example that the police department is committed to providing effective service to all residents within our township,” Longo said.
An application form is available on the Lawrence Township Police Department’s page on the township website at www.lawrencetwp.com. It is under the police department’s tab on the website.
The form asks for the applicant’s name, address and telephone number. It also asks the applicant to describe the medical condition, and to provide the doctor’s name and telephone number.
There is a space on the form for the applicant to provide emergency contact information, including the person’s name, address, telephone and cellphone numbers, and their relationship to the applicant.
It also asks if the applicant has a dog or a cat and if so, how many dogs or cats.
The completed application can be mailed to the Lawrence Township Police Department at 2211 Lawrence Road, Lawrenceville, NJ 08648. The envelope should be marked “Attn: Operation Blue Angle Program Coordinator.”
For more information or for questions, police Lt. Richard Laird can be contacted by phone at (609) 844-7123 or by email to rlaird@lawrencetwp.com.
