Crime Prevention

View the Stratford Police Crime Map

Wandering is a common behaviour of individuals with Alzheimer’s disease or other dementia. The person can become hopelessly lost anywhere, even on the front steps of their own home. A detour or wrong turn can set up a panic reaction that inhibits all sense of direction, time and purpose. All familiar routes and landmarks may become lost to the person affected by Alzheimer’s disease or other dementia. Getting lost is unpredictable, which is why the Stratford Police Services along with the Alzheimer Society of Perth County recommend that persons with dementia are registered with the MedicAlert® Safely Home® program.

Alzheimer Society Huron Perth

5-1020 Ontario Street
Stratford, ON N5A 6Z3
(519)271-1910 or 1-888-797-1882
info@alzhp.ca

In addition to the MedicAlert® Safely Home® program, persons with dementia and their family members may also benefit from Finding Your Way Ontario, which offers practical advice on how to stay safe while staying active. Combined with an Identification Kit, Finding Your Way offers materials in multiple languages that encourage affected individuals to adopt strategies that may decrease the risk of going missing.

More Information is available at Finding your Way Ontario or at Alzheimer Society Huron Perth.

Vulnerable Persons Registry

Approximately 60% of people living with dementia-related memory problems become lost at some point. In an effort to enhance community safety, the Stratford Police Service has partnered with the Alzheimer Society Huron Perth and Autism Ontario Huron Perth Chapter, in joining the Vulnerable Person Registry (VPR).

The Vulnerable Person Registry allows caregivers or family members of those living with Alzheimer’s, dementia or autism, to upload to the registry, emergency contact information, detailed physical descriptions, a photo, known routines and special needs of loved ones.

The information provided can assist police officers in locating missing or wandering individuals. Information about communications strategies can be added to assist police in providing better support to the individual during calls for service. The Alzheimer Society Huron Perth has happily agreed to help coordinate and maintain the Stratford branch of the Vulnerable Person Registry. There is no cost to use the VPR.

The Stratford Police, Alzheimer Society Huron Perth, and Autism Ontario Huron Perth Chapter are hoping that caregivers and family members will take advantage of this amazing community resource. For more information please visit www.vulnerablepersonsregistry.ca

SCRAM Program Review

The Security Camera Registry and Mapping (SCRAM) Program is a community based crime prevention opportunity that enlists the help of Stratford, St. Marys and Perth South residents and businesses. This program allows community members to voluntarily identify their residential or business video surveillance location through a simple and secure online form. Identified addresses will be mapped on a database of surveillance camera locations for officers to quickly and effectively direct resources when investigating criminal offences in neighbourhoods.

For more information on the SCRAM Program, please see the Frequently Asked Questions.
Already own a security camera and want to register it? Register your camera with SCRAM.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why should I register my cameras?

When police investigate a crime, officers often canvass neighbourhoods or plazas for security camera footage that may have captured images of suspects or criminal activity. This is a lengthy process requiring time and resources.

When you register your cameras, officers can see who in the area may have captured footage and can ask them directly for help. In an investigation where every second counts, this proactive step could be crucial in helping to solve a case, make an arrest, recover property, or even save a life. Helpful details when registering include number of cameras, camera location, line of sight, video retention times and the capability of sharing footage.

I already have a camera system installed at my property. Can I register the existing system?

Yes, and we encourage you to do so. All eligible existing camera systems can be registered with SCRAM.

Does registering with SCRAM allow police to monitor my security cameras?

No. The registry is simply a database of residential or commercial addresses at which security cameras are located. Officers must still seek permission to use security footage as evidence in an investigation.

Will information about my address or cameras be shared publicly?

No. Any information collected from registrants will remain confidential. Addresses are plotted on a map used by police to identify cameras that may have captured activity pertinent to a criminal investigation. The map is not made available publicly.

Do I have to provide footage when requested by the police?

No. At all times, your participation remains completely voluntary. Police are hopeful that members of the registry will be willing to provide footage when contacted, but there is no requirement to participate. If there is an investigation near your camera, you may be contacted to ask if you are willing to share any relevant footage, but you can decline at any point.

How do I remove my cameras from the registry?

Complete the Registration Removal form

How will I share the footage from my system with police?

The police will not physically remove any of your equipment. Officers will provide you with a storage device and ask that you extract the data on site, at your convenience, and provide it to them.

Still have questions?

If you have any further questions about the SCRAM, please contact:

Stratford Police Service

(519) 271-4147 extension 8285 (Office Telephone) or email the Stratford Police

What is the 529 Garage?

• It’s a community watch for your bicycle
• It’s a program that captures all the important information about your bicycle including serial numbers, photos and owner's information
• It's a resource for law enforcement to search for stolen or missing bicycles, that has helped recover thousands of bicycles and return them to their owners
• It’s a free to use bicycle registry available for the residents of Stratford, St Marys, and Perth South

How does 529 Garage work?

1. Register your bicycle online either on the 529 Garage Website or using the 529 Garage app
2. Provide all the necessary information about your bicycle including serial numbers, photos and owner's information to ensure that if stolen, law enforcement can return it to the owner
3. If your bicycle is reported stolen or missing, an alert notification will be sent out to all the users in the area to look out for your missing bicycle
4. If your bicycle is stolen or missing, please ensure to not only report it to 529 Garage but also the Stratford Police Service by calling 519-271-4141
5. Your information is secure and only law enforcement have access to the database and only to the information you choose to provide.
6. You can also get alerts of other Stratford and area bicycles that have been stolen or go missing