People with autism in Pennsylvania can now receive an informational card from Pennsylvania State Police to present during any encounter with law enforcement officers.
The purpose of the card is to help ensure that encounters between police and people with autism are as productive and safe as possible. Its production is the result of a series of meetings between PSP and autism awareness advocates.
The card explains that the individual in question may be nonverbal, bothered by loud noises, hypersensitive to touch and unresponsive to commands or questions. Officers are instructed by it to be patient, use a calm and direct voice, and keep their questions and commands simple.
The Pennsylvania State Police hopes that the new cards will reduce barriers which may exist between people with autism and law enforcement.
“Behaviors associated with autism can cause barriers to effective communication. This card can be presented to reduce those barriers,” said Col. Christopher Paris, Commissioner of the Pennsylvania State Police. “When an officer is made aware a person has autism, they can respond accordingly, resulting in a safer interaction for everyone involved.”
Individuals with autism are encouraged to present the informational card during any interaction with police, whether the officer is a state trooper or not. The PSP has also made the card available online, so anyone in need of it can easily print it out and take it with them. Another option is to save it to a mobile phone.
A large-scale distribution of the new informational cards is being planned by the PSP’s Office of Community Engagement. According to a news release, troopers will distribute them at community events across the state.
A similar program using specially-designed blue envelopes was recently launched by police departments in Lehigh County, including the Upper Saucon Township Police Department.
This local news story was reported with generative AI assistance.