Oneida County Sheriff’s Office Joins “Blue Envelope…

Oneida County Sheriff’s Office Joins “Blue Envelope Program”

Oneida County Sheriff Robert Maciol, joined by local parent advocates, announced today that the Oneida County Sheriff’s Office is adopting the Blue Envelope Program which is an important safety program for drivers with autism.

Joining the members of the Sheriff’s Office at this morning’s event were Kathy Caruso, a parent advocate & Lead Facilitator of Better Together, and Kimberly Karcic, also a parent advocate & Behavior Specialist at Madison-Oneida BOCES.

Sheriff Maciol said “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”.

To address this problem, law enforcement agencies around the country have recently begun adopting the Blue Envelope Program. They are encouraging drivers with autism to obtain a Blue Envelope, in which the drivers can keep their license, registration, insurance card, or other relevant documents, which a police officer would normally request upon a traffic stop. In this way, when the police officer sees the Blue Envelope, the officer is immediately alerted to the driver’s autism and can adjust his or her own actions and reactions to fit that situation.

“This initiative is another tool for law enforcement to use when interacting with vulnerable populations to ensure a better outcome and we say thank you for that”, according to Kathy Caruso.

“ As we work with our teens in high school as they prepare to become drivers, programs like this provide them with the information so they know what to expect if they encounter law enforcement during a traffic stop”, according to Kimberly Karcic.

The New York State Sheriffs' Association is promoting this program statewide and many Sheriff’s Offices are rolling out the program in their county, including Sheriff Maciol. Sheriff Maciol asks drivers with autism who may be interested in taking part in the Blue Envelope Program to contact his office at 315-765-2200. The Sheriff is encouraging law enforcement officers from all agencies throughout Oneida County to be aware of the significance of the Blue Envelope if one is presented by the driver during a traffic stop. Drivers with autism counties outside of Oneida County can contact their Sheriff’s Office to obtain one for their use from their local Sheriff.