Police agencies across Central New York have been proactive in bringing awareness to a campaign that will help make certain interactions between police and the public more safe and more effective. The campaign is called the "Blue Envelope" program and it's aim is to improve police interactions with those who have autism.

The Blue Envelope Program is an initiative designed to improve interactions between law enforcement officers and drivers with autism or other communication challenges. The program provides those drivers with a literal blue envelope to hold their driver's license, registration, and insurance. Inside the envelope, there are typically instructions explaining the driver's condition and may include guidance for both the officer and the driver on how to communicate effectively during a traffic stop.

Photo Courtesy of Oneida County Sheriffs Office
Photo Courtesy of Oneida County Sheriffs Office
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Oneida County Sheriff Rob Maciol announced their participation in the program earlier in the month. He spoke about the program saying,

There are many adult drivers who are living with autism. A driver’s physical movements or verbal responses which would normally be appropriate during a traffic stop may be beyond an autistic driver’s control. There have been some unfortunate incidents where, during a traffic stop of a person with autism, the officer has misinterpreted the driver’s movements, or the driver’s failure to appropriately respond to requests or directions. This has sometimes led to an escalation of the situation and resulted in a bad outcome.

The program was also introduced in Madison County by the Sheriff's Department there. Madison County Sheriff Todd Hood said in a release Tuesday,

The Blue Envelope program is a way we can create a safer, more inclusive community for our residents and our deputies. To address possible issues or miscommunications, we are happy to partner with NYSSA and other law enforcement agencies around the country to bring the Blue Envelope program here to Madison County. This is an important step in helping drivers and passengers have a positive interaction with officers on the road.

The Blue Envelope program shares many similarities with the Yellow Dot Program, designed to help first responders provide life-saving medical attention immediately after a crash or other emergency.

If you or someone in your life is on the autism spectrum, you're asked to contact the Oneida County Sheriff's Office to get a blue envelope at 315-765-2200. If you live in Madison County you can reach out to each out to the community partners or the Sheriff’s Office at 315-366-2311.

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