Program helps officers and autistic drivers navigate traffic stops
BALLSTON SPA, N.Y. (NEWS10) -- For some drivers, a routine traffic stop can cause a lot of anxiety. This is especially true for drivers with special needs. That’s why the Autism Society, Greater Hudson Region, partnered with the Saratoga County Sheriff’s Office to organize a mock traffic stop.
The mock traffic stop took place outside of the Saratoga County Sheriff’s Office, and involved 31 sheriff’s deputies. The training was developed by the Autism Society, and the local chapter is hoping to provide it to law enforcement throughout more than 21 counties.
Participants said that being in a controlled environment takes away how scary an interaction with an officer can be. Andrew Paolano, Direct Support Professional, participated in the mock traffic stop. He said the experience helped him a lot. "It was easy. A lot easier than being in like real life, like on a road somewhere strange at nighttime where you don't know. Like, that would make me very scared...As opposed to, like, in the situation, a controlled environment.”
Jeff Brown, Undersheriff Saratoga County Sheriff’s Office said the experience allowed for everyone to practice what it would be like to encounter situations like traffic stops in a contained way. “It's good to have that exposure of the police officer. The lights turn around behind your car and the police officer approaching the car and asking for your information. I think that that's a good experience to have in a controlled environment before it happens for the first time. And everybody gets nervous.”
Sheriff deputies learned tips about how to handle traffic stops with autistic drivers, such as the Blue Envelope Program. Drivers with autism can get the blue envelope from their local sheriff's department. It has instructions for the driver on one side, and instructions for the officer on the other.
Deputies were also given resources such as communication boards. An autism communication board is a visual tool that helps people with autism express their needs or thoughts without relying on speech. This allows for clearer communication between an autistic person and an officer, ideally reducing any misunderstandings.
Individuals who participated in the event provided feedback to the deputies. The Saratoga County Sheriff's Office and the Autism Society, Greater Hudson Region, are hoping to host more events like this one in the near future.