FALL RIVER — When elderly or disabled people have a medical crisis, often the only thing separating them from life-saving help is a couple inches of wood or vinyl — their own locked door.
It can be nerve-wracking for police and rescue workers who need to help them, too, said Sgt. Ricardo Mourato of the Bristol Police Department in Rhode Island.
“Sometimes we hear them on the other side of the door. Sometimes they’re unresponsive," he said. “We try not to break the doors down, but sometimes we have to.”
Fall River Police are joining a regional program that Mourato spearheaded across Rhode Island to make it easy for first-responders to gain access to homes in an emergency — and it’s as simple as trusting police with a spare key.
The service is free, secure, and available now for the elderly and disabled or other vulnerable residents.
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What the free lockbox program is
Mourato is also a real estate agent. In that business, agents often use lockboxes attached to the door to hold the keys to houses they’re showing. About six years ago, Mourato said, he realized this would be ideal for police to access a spare key in case there's a medical emergency.
“Every police department, we find ourselves having to climb through windows, or breaking down doors when there’s people in need on the other side — just like in the commercial, ‘I’ve fallen and I can’t get up,’” he said.
Fall River Deputy Chief Barden Castro said last year the FRPD had about 58 no-crime forced-entry reports, and about 25 so far this year. These are calls to check people’s welfare or medical status, where officers had to force their way inside to help someone.
While breaking down doors or sending rookies through windows gets police and rescue to the scene, it's not optimal. Residents end up with a broken door or damaged window. And then officers need to stick around until they can be sure the house is made safe afterward.
Mourato started a program to install lockboxes at residents’ homes with a spare key inside. Each box has its own combination code, which is kept securely on file at police headquarters. The lockboxes are installed out of sight.
If police receive a medical call where the door is locked, the resident can't unlock it, and fire or EMTs can’t get inside, Mourato said, “The police officer goes on scene, lets rescue in, and secures the key back.” Instead of wasting time and breaking property, police quickly open the door with the spare.
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Castro said Fall River Police Chief Paul Gauvin met Mourato at a conference. Recognizing that Fall River has a large population of elderly and disabled people, Castro said, the chief realized this could work for Fall River.
“This will hopefully lead to quicker entry for emergency workers, prevent property damage, and allow emergency personnel to return to duty and not have to stand by until a family member can respond because a door was broken," Castro said.
How the lockbox program works, and how to get one
Getting a box is free, and police will install it for free, too.
Castro said the FRPD currently has 28 boxes. They’ve been donated by the Rotary Club and Fall River Deaconess Home.
The boxes are available on a first-come, first-served basis, with these eligibility requirements:
- Must be a Fall River resident
- Must be elderly, disabled or a vulnerable resident
- Cannot live in housing development where property managers have key access
Mourato said the program has been successful for years in Bristol, Newport, East Providence, Westerly, Charlestown and other communities. In Bristol, he said, police use a lockbox at least once or twice a month.
He said the spare keys are not used to serve warrants, or to gain access to the house for any reason other than medical emergencies or wellness checks where a resident can't open the door.
But they can be used by homeowners if they lock themselves out accidentally — make a free call to police instead of hiring a locksmith.
Anyone interested in signing up for a lockbox can call the FRPD at 508-676-8511; follow the automated prompts to the Special Operations Division-Housing Unit and speak with Officer Rachel Silvia. Residents can also email locks@frpd.org or visit the police station and request a sign-up form.
Dan Medeiros can be reached atdmedeiros@heraldnews.com. Support local journalism by purchasing a digital or print subscription to The Herald News today.
