Wednesday
April 24, 2024 
The interaction between a driver on the autism spectrum and a police officer during a traffic stop can be fraught with uncertainty.
The driver might be triggered by the flashing lights of a patrol car, the sound of a siren, or the beam from a flashlight. The officer might interpret the driver’s reaction as uncooperative, perhaps as a result of being under the influence of alcohol or drugs.
In a new program recently unveiled by the Perkasie and Central Bucks police departments, a small blue envelope could be the difference between a positive outcome or a potential tragedy.
Originally adopted in Connecticut in 2020, the envelope is designed to hold the driver’s license, registration, and insurance documentation while also providing written information and guidance on enhancing effective communication between the officer and persons with ASD. It also contains a space for emergency contact information if an officer feels the need to contact someone for assistance.
In becoming the first department in Bucks County to implement the program, Perkasie Police Chief Bob Schurr said the goal is to make interactions between a driver on the spectrum and a police officer “much more positive, much safer for the driver and for the police officer as well. We want to avoid any potential misunderstandings.”
Schurr said a Bucks County agency that works with people on the spectrum requested 20 envelopes as soon as the program became public. “Not only does it benefit us locally but it benefits every autistic person and every police officer who comes in contact with somebody on the spectrum,” he said.
In addition to providing the driver with stress-free access to necessary documents, the Blue Envelope explains how events should occur during the stop and how the driver should respond. The envelope’s instructions, for example, warn the driver that the officer might have a radio and flashing lights on their patrol car. The instructions also direct the driver to keep his or her hands on the steering wheel until they receive further instructions from the officer.
The Blue Envelope also provides officers with the means to quickly identify an operator of a motor vehicle as being on the spectrum and helps to guide the interaction. The officer’s section of the envelope explains some behaviors that the driver might exhibit, including repetitive body movements and signs of high anxiety. Officers are also instructed to allow the driver extra time to respond, to use the most simplistic language possible, and to clearly tell the driver when he or she can leave the scene.
“We’re going to do everything that we can to make sure that every interaction with the Perkasie Police Department and a Perkasie officer is professional and it’s a positive experience,” Schurr said,
Central Bucks Chief Karl Knott said the Blue Envelope program is part of his department’s “proactive approach to educating officers about autism” through ongoing training on how to recognize behavioral signs displayed and respond accordingly.
“The Blue Envelope program is a way to reinforce this training and assists an ASD individual to know they will be treated with tolerance and understanding,” said Knott, who reached out to Schurr when Perkasie announced its program.
Envelopes are available at the Perkasie Borough Police Department, 311 S. 9th St., and the Central Bucks Regional Police Department, 229 N. Broad St., Doylestown, Monday through Friday during regular business hours.
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