More Sheriff’s Departments Adopting New “Blue Envelope” Program in New York State

A couple weeks ago the New York State Sheriff's made some big news regarding a new initiative being introduced to Sheriff's Departments across the state. The initiative has been called the "Blue Envelope" program and its objective is to improve and make easier the interactions members of law enforcement have with drivers and even vehicle occupants with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD).

Prior to its introduction in New York State, the program had seen positive results in other states and immidiately Sheriff's Departments in NY moved quickly to adopt the program themselves. As expected, more Sheriff's Departments have continued to adopt the program and one of the most recent is close by here in the Hudson Valley.

Blue Envelope Program Coming to Dutchess County

As last week came to a close, the Dutchess County Sheriff's ended it on a high note with the announcement that they will now also be adopting the Blue Envelope Program into their operations. The announcement came from the Dutchess County Sheriff's top cop, Sheriff Kirk Imperati, in conjunction with the New York State Sheriff’s Association.

In the press release regarding the adoption of the Blue Envelope Program by the Dutchess County Sheriff's, Sheriff Imperati stated...

There are many county families who are living with autism. Some of these residents drive our roads, so it is important for us as law enforcement to be able to better serve them.  As law enforcement we should recognize that 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.

Sheriff Imperati would also go on to stress how proper training and awareness is crucial for officers to be able to interpret interactions with drivers and individuals who do suffer from autism and why instances may occur where these specific individuals may fail to respond to requests or directions.

The goal in all of this being that with the proper training and awareness, potentially confusing interactions can be better avoided, in addition to prioritizing safety.

Blue Envelope Program Details

One of the great benefits of the Blue Envelope Program besides its improving communication is that it's rather simplistic with how it's supposed to work. First foremost, individuals will be able to obtain their own Blue Envelopes from their local Sheriff's Departments.

The Blue Envelopes come with a set of directions printed on the envelope itself for both officers to follow and drivers to follow. When an individual receives their Blue Envelope, they would take their necessary documents that you'd normally hand to a law enforcement officer when being pulled over, into the envelope itself.

Get our free mobile app

The envelope then indicates to the officer how to handle the interaction and promotes healthy and clear communication. That communication then eases the potential nerves of those involved in a traffic stop situation.

Related Stories: Sheriff's in New York State Adopting New "Blue Envelope" Program

Sheriff's Departments in New York are expected to continue adopting and integrating the Blue Envelope Program into their operations. New training is also expected to be introduced to law enforcement as well for the integration of the new program.