MADISON — An automated daily check-in service designed to help residents who live alone has been launched in Madison.
ConfirmOK, according to the Madison Police Department, will promote community safety, especially for residents who live alone or may be vulnerable. The program will be rolled out initially to a limited number of residents; additional households will be placed on a wait-list and admitted as capacity allows, the department said.
“By leveraging ConfirmOK, we can proactively monitor the well-being of residents without sending officers out on every non-emergency call,” Madison Police Chief Johnny Gandy said. “This gives us another tool to look after our residents and respond to their needs more quickly and strategically.”
Starting Jan. 1, seniors and residents living alone in Madison can enroll in the automated wellness checks, which ensures someone will check on them if they can’t respond to their daily check-in call or text.
“This partnership represents what ConfirmOK was built for — protecting community members who might otherwise go unnoticed for days during an emergency,” said Leon Smith, CEO of ConfirmOK. “We’re honored to work with the Madison Police Department to bring this life-saving technology to Madison families.”
Through the system, participants receive automated daily phone calls at a time of their choosing. Each check-in simply requires the participant to press “1 #” to confirm they are safe.
If a check-in is missed, the system will make two additional attempts. If there’s still no response, the call is forwarded to the Madison Police Department and officers can enter the residence to perform a welfare check using secure lockbox access, eliminating delays when someone genuinely needs help.
If the officers believe someone may be in danger or unable to respond, they are permitted to enter the home to make sure the resident is safe.
Users do not need a smartphone or special app; ConfirmOk works with any touch-tone phone.
Gandy said the program aligns with the department’s ongoing strategic priorities around community policing and preventive outreach.
Residents interested in participating in the pilot should call Officer Shane Kyker at 256-692-5435. Enrollment will be on a first-come, first-served basis, subject to pilot capacity.
Those who apply after the initial slots are filled will be placed on a wait-list and notified when space becomes available.
If the pilot proves successful, the Madison Police Department plans to expand the service.
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