Photo courtesy of Hoover Police Department
In this demonstration photo, a driver hands a blue envelope to a law enforcement officer with information about a person in the vehicle with a developmental disability.
The Hoover Police Department and The Arc of Shelby County are partnering this week to provide a tool to help people with developmental disabilities have safer interactions with law enforcement.
The two agencies are offering a training workshop at the Church of the Highlands Greystone campus at 1701 Lee Branch Lane on Tuesday, Sept. 22, from 5 to 7 p.m.
They will provide individuals and families with a blue seatbelt sleeve cover that provides an immediate visual alert to law enforcement officers as they approach a vehicle from the outside — even before a conversation begins — notifying them that a driver or passenger in the car may experience sensory overload, anxiety or difficulty communicating under stress.
The agencies also are offering a bright blue envelope that can be kept in the vehicle and hold essential driving documents such as a driver's license, vehicle registration and insurance card. There also is a card with instructions and tips for both the driver and the officer, plus emergency contacts and details on the individual's specific communication needs or sensory triggers. Handing the envelope to an officer immediately signals that the driver may need extra patience, clear pacing or specific accommodations.
Participants will have the opportunity to practice using the blue envelope and seatbelt strap during a live-action traffic stop simulation using their own vehicle.
Because traffic stop can be high-stress situations, the tools are designed to help eliminate the pressure on an individual to verbally explain their disability in a moment of panic and provide for a safer interaction between the person with the disability, law enforcement officers and others on the scene.
While the event lasts from 5 to 7 p.m., check-in begins at 4:30 p.m. Registration is required. To participate, call 205-664-9313 or email bluenvelope@thearcofshelby.org.
