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Valuable Program

Project Lifesaver, Friends of Sheriff programs assist deputies, ‘special needs residents’

MAYVILLE – Launching new programs while living within a set budget is a challenge.

Sheriff Jim Quattrone, who has launched the Friends of the Sheriff and Project Lifesaver programs over the past couple of years, has an ace up his sleeve as Project Lifesaver gets off the ground in Sgt. Kris Gustafson.

Project Lifesaver helps provide a timely response to save lives for adults and children who wander due to autism, Alzheimer’s, traumatic brain injuries, or other related cognitive conditions. Clients are fitted with a bracelet that emits a specific frequency which deputy sheriffs are able to locate by a special tracking antenna. The Sheriff's Office currently has two certified deputy sheriffs who are training in locating and equipping clients with these special bracelets. The client and family will be interviewed by the program deputy, and the deputy will be permanently assigned to the client and will be responsible for battery installation and technical issues.

Like many initiatives, implementing a program such as Project Lifesaver comes with its share of expenses. Quattrone has managed the program with minimal to no financial impact on taxpayers.

"It costs about $400 to set up a person’s bracelet. This bracelet sends out a specific frequency that deputy sheriffs can find with a special tracking antenna," he said. "Deputy Kris Gustafson has taken a leadership role in this program by fundraising and engaging with the community about its benefits, ensuring it remains free for those in need – it’s a calling he has truly embraced."

The sheriff said the department needs a transmitter to run the program, which costs about $1,500 and has a range of about one mile, depending on the topography. However, due to the hard work of his deputies, including Gustafson, the program remains free for all participants.

"Gustafson, through his hard work and dedication, has ensured that this program is available – free of charge – to those who need it or want it. I can’t express enough how valuable this program is for both the community and our department," he said.

As reported in a Sept. 1 edition of The Post-Journal, Gustafson gave Falconer Rotary Club members a presentation on Project Lifesaver, highlighting the benefits of the search-and-rescue program.

Capt. Jacob Stahley of the Chautauqua Sheriff's Department echoed Quattrone’s statement, praising the program and its benefits, as well as Gustafson’s efforts to implement it for those interested.

"When a person with special needs gets lost or wanders, it can involve multiple agencies, hundreds of officers, and use countless man-hours," he said. "This program eliminates that, getting the officer to the missing person quickly and hopefully returning them safely."

According to the United States Centers for Disease Control (the CDC), approximately one in four Americans suffers from a mental or cognitive disability; one in five American children suffers likewise from a form of mental and cognitive disability, totaling more than five million individuals. Within the 5 million people in the U.S. with cognitive disabilities, more than 13.9% have serious difficulty concentrating, remembering things, or making decisions; 12.2% have mobility issues, including walking, climbing stairs, and balance issues; 7.7% have difficulties with independent living – doing errands alone or having basic life-skill sets.;6.2% have hearing loss or difficulty hearing; 5.5% suffer from vision loss or impairment issues; 3.6% have difficulties getting dressed or bathing properly – www.cdc.gov.

The United States Census Bureau's official webpage (www.census.gov) reports that Chautauqua County has a significant population of individuals with special needs, particularly those who qualify for Special Needs Plans (SNPs); approximately 4,605 individuals are enrolled in SNPs across the county.

'FRIENDS OF THE SHERIFF PROGRAM'

Another program under Sheriff Q’s tutelage that assists community members with cognitive disabilities is the ‘Friends of the Sheriff’ program. The program is in its early stages in Chautauqua County, first being announced by Quattrone at an April 2025 press conference.

Quattrone explained that program participants will receive three stickers to place where first responders can easily see them, ideally giving officers more insight (from a database of information) before any police or law enforcement contact is made.

"The stickers are to be placed on the rear driver’s side window of a vehicle, the front door, or mailbox to discreetly notify first-responders that someone in the home or vehicle has special needs," he said. "This initiative is about building trust and promoting safety. By giving our deputies tools to better understand individuals with special needs before arriving on a scene, we can reduce anxiety and prevent situations from escalating. We want every interaction between law enforcement and the community to be as safe and respectful as possible."

The "Friends of the Sheriff" program invites caregivers to voluntarily share key information about individuals in their household with special needs--such as sensory sensitivities, triggers, or calming techniques. This information is securely entered into the Sheriff's Office computer-aided dispatch (CAD) system and flagged to alert responding deputies, explained Quattrone.

While these two programs are not entirely new to the area, they appear to have been well received by some in the law enforcement community and have been a real boon for law enforcement officials.

"These are two great programs," said Stahley. "It's putting real-time, important information into the hands of the responding deputies – this is about serving the community in a better, safer, and more respectful way."

For more information on Operation Life Saver or the Friends of the Sheriff program, call the Chautauqua County Sheriff's Dept. at (716) 753-2131, visit the website at www.sheriff.us, or visit the official sheriff's Facebook page entitled Chautauqua County Sheriff