Emergency Access

The Aledo Police Department launched the Safe Access Program on June 10 to assist first-responders when there is a locked door between them and someone in need.

Officer David Griesinger pitched the idea to Chief Carol Riddle after responding to an emergency call of an Aledo resident who had fallen and could not make it to the door. 

“My partner and I went around the house with the fire department looking for a way in, and we tried all the doors and all the windows. As a last resort, the firefighters forced their way in through a pedestrian door in the garage, which resulted in damage to the door,” Griesinger said. “As we were going in, I was like, ‘Man, there's, there's gotta be an easier way than causing this person to have damage.’”

Taking inspiration from a similar program he knew of while working in Grand Prairie, Griesinger created the Safe Access Program. Through the program, a lockbox containing a spare key will be concealed outside the individual's home. So, in the case of a medical emergency, the lockbox code is shared with first-responders so they can have unimpeded access to the person in need. 

The program is available to residents of Aledo who are “65 years of age or older and disabled residents who live alone or regularly spend extended periods of time without assistance present,” according to the APD Facebook page. 

However, with the interest for the program expanding beyond Aledo residents, Griesinger is partnering with local churches such as Aledo United Methodist Church for donations to provide boxes to qualifying individuals who may be outside city limits. 

“Anybody that wants to donate a box or a series of boxes … we'd be happy to hear from those people as well,” he said.

“We just want to assist them without causing more problems, like having damage that they'd still need to repair,” Griesinger said. 

For more information or to request an application contact Griesinger at 682-404-3790 or dgriesinger@aledotx.gov.