As part of Chairwoman Lourdes Leon’s 2025 initiatives, Union County remains committed to public safety, expanding access to essential resources, and fostering a community where all residents feel secure and supported. ACCESS Union County unifies critical programs like the Sheriff’s Lifesaver Program, the Blue Envelope Program, and the Special Needs Registry to streamline services and enhance emergency support. This webpage also provides other key resources and updates, reflecting our dedication to compassion, accessibility, and peace of mind for families across our county. Check back regularly for updates.
Lifesaver Program
Since 2003, the Union County Sheriff’s Office in cooperation with Project Lifesaver International continues to bring to the citizens of Union County a valuable service in Project Lifesaver.
This program is a valuable tool for law enforcement to assist in the locating of lost or wandering individuals who suffer from Alzheimer’s disease and related dementia disorders such as Down syndrome and autism spectrum disorder. The facts are that over 5,700,000 people in the U.S.A. have Alzheimer’s disease. That number will triple by 2050. Well over 50% of these people will wander or become lost and possibly put themselves at serious risk of injury or even death.
A lost person with Alzheimer’s disease, dementia or a child with autism is classified as a critical emergency.
Special Needs Registry
The Union County Special Needs Registry is a voluntary service open to all citizens.
The registry was created to help police officers and other emergency service personnel to better assist residents with special needs in the event of an emergency by providing those first responders with vital information regarding a registrant’s disability, emergency contact information, a physical description, and a current photograph of the registrant.
The goal of the Special Needs Registry is to ensure all residents who have Special Needs can get the help and support they need in a time of emergency or during interaction with Law Enforcement, Fire, or EMS personnel.
Blue Envelope Program
The Blue Envelope Program introduces a simple yet effective tool that contains essential information for drivers with Autism Spectrum Disorder.
This includes a copy of their driver’s license, vehicle registration, insurance details, and an emergency contact card.
Additionally, the envelope provides clear instructions to drivers on how to navigate a traffic stop and interact with law enforcement officers in a manner that promotes clarity and safety.
Other Public Safety Initiatives
UC-FirstAlert
Sign up for the County’s reverse-911 alert system to receive important local and regional alerts directly on your mobile devices.
You can choose to receive notifications via text, email, and voice calls.
Additionally, you can subscribe to county non-emergency informational emails.
During registration, you can select the municipalities where you live, work, and travel.
Safe Place Initiative
UCPO SAFE PLACE is a law enforcement initiative that promotes public safety, provides training/education, and most importantly supports those that are victims and targeted of biased incidents and hate crimes that take place in Union County.
This approach involves the partnership of police, the community, local businesses, all committed to making our county a safer place to visit and reside.
It all starts with placing a small window decal on your entities front entrance which represents a bigger message, there is no place for hatred in this safe place!
ARRIVE Together
The ARRIVE Together program provides individuals in crisis with help as quickly and effectively as possible. When 9-1-1 is called relating to a mental health crisis, the program sends response teams consisting of local police officers who are trained in crisis intervention, along with mental health professionals who can help de-escalate the situation and avoid the use of force.
The ARRIVE Together teams also follow up later to ensure the person is receiving the help they need.
In addition, the program provides for teams to connect with individuals in their community who may benefit from outreach efforts.
Operation Helping Hand
Operation Helping Hand (OHH) is a prosecutor-led program whereby law enforcement and Recovery Specialists proactively link individuals suffering from substance use disorders to services.
Since 2018, the New Jersey Department of Law & Public Safety (DL&PS) has been administering state and federal funding for grants to the 21 County Prosecutor’s Offices to establish and expand OHH programs.
In 2022, the Union County Prosecutor’s Office (UCPO) OHH program transitioned from an arrest-based model to a services outreach model throughout Union County by partnering with local police departments to bring services to its communities.