The Venice Police Department’s new program called SAFE — Seniors Assistance, Freedom and Enrichment — designed as a safety net for elderly or recuperating persons living alone, was tested last week for the first time, but it wasn’t enough to avert a death.

Seniors who sign up for the program call into the police department every morning to verify that they are all right. If the VPD doesn’t hear from someone by 11 a.m., the police dispatch calls the resident. If the resident doesn’t answer, an officer will check on the senior.