Blue Envelope Program Begins in Delaware County
The Blue Envelope program, which provides physical envelopes to show a police officer as an indicator the driver has autism, have been implemented in several counties across the state.
The program was developed at the center for autism at the University of Albany, as well as the non profit Bring on the Spectrum, with the goal of reducing stressful incidents at traffic stops.
The envelopes serving as a single place to store the driver's license, registration, and insurance card, with more information about how to help the driver on the back of the card.
Sheriff Craig S. Dumond of Delaware County hopes the program will become a statewide initiative, with departments around the state adopting the program, including Broome County in September of last year, who have said their office has been flooded with requests for the envelopes.
"We want it to include more than just the sheriff's offices, but all our local agencies, as well as the state police as well, and then eventually, expand it into our, other emergency responders or fire and EMS services. Because, you know, we all have contact. And so, we all need to be on the same page and understand that when someone displays that blue envelope, that's what it's all about," Dumond said.
Sheriff Dumond says you can pick up a Blue Envelope at participating departments, or request them to be mailed to your address.