Any officer of the state police or of an organized municipal police department may transport, with the sole written consent of the person transported, any person over sixteen years of age and less than eighteen years of age who appears to be away from home without permission of such person’s parents or guardian or who appears to be suffering from lack of food, shelter or medical care to any public or private facility, provided institutions of the Department of Correction and local police detention facilities shall not be used for such purpose. The person or organization to whom such person is transported shall, if practicable, inform such person’s parent or guardian of such person’s whereabouts within twelve hours. Such procedure shall be civil in nature, shall not constitute an arrest and shall be made solely for the purpose of safeguarding the interests and welfare of such person.