Texas police employ new ID software

LAKEWAY, Texas (KXAN) - In Central Texas, Lakeway is known for its low crime rates and heavy police presence. But just like any other resort community, it is a haven for retirees.

Police Chief Todd Radford said that having use of a new software will help them identify people quicker than by traditional means.

"We have an older population here that can have the propensity to need us to have the ability to identify them when they're lost, when they're having some cognitive issue away from the care facility away from their residency," he said. "So this is just going to be a very good tool for us."

The biometric program, developed in Austin and just released a few weeks ago, uses facial-recognition software to also reconnect lost children with parents.

It's a technology with roots in military security and identification applications used in Iraq and Afghanistan

"The basic process is parents upload a picture of their child to our database," said Alex Kilpatrick, chief technology officer with WanderID . "So if they're ever lost then the first responder finds them and they simply take a picture with the smart phone app, it'll get automatically matched in the cloud and the first responder will get a notification to call us. And well facilitate the communication between first responder, the lost and the parents."

Debbie Lloyd and her children are out on their usual walk down to Lakeway's city park. She said signing up the kids to the program will give her piece of mind.

"I think it's great. It gives me more security whenever the kids are out riding their bikes or out by themselves or with their friends," she said.

So far, the system has been adopted by Bee Cave, Lake Travis Fire Rescue, Travis County Sheriff and other area emergency services.

A piece of mind, said Lloyd , in case it's ever needed, but hopefully never used.