Police officers from the Glynn County Police Department located in Southeastern Georgia are sporting blue silicone badges as part of their efforts to show support for National Autism Acceptance Month.
Action News Jax found out that this action stemmed from an individual officer's domestic experiences.
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Individuals diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder are statistically seven times more prone to interact with law enforcement officials.
In an effort to increase awareness, the Glynn County Police Department developed the blue rubber badge as a sign of their commitment to supporting those with autism.
Read: How being multilingual might enhance cognitive abilities in kids diagnosed with autism
Each officer will sport the badge every April during National Autism Acceptance Month.
Lt. Keith Stalvey, the originator of this concept, mentioned that the matter is particularly personal to him because his 23-year-old daughter has autism.
"My daughter consistently manages to surprise us with her actions each day," Stalvey stated.
Read: Castillo De San Marcos has been designated as a Certified Autism Center
We inquired if this badge would result in further police training on interacting with individuals with autism. Lt. Stalvey responded negatively, however, he mentioned that the department already receives specialized training for such situations.
He mentioned that their primary objective is "To recognize various traits of individuals who might have special needs."
"It’s essentially unavoidable for an officer to never interact with someone who has autism. Statistically speaking, it's impossible," stated Stacey Hoaglund, President of the organization. Autism Society of Florida , said.
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Hoaglund mentioned that her group has educated thousands of law enforcement officials across the state on engaging effectively with individuals from the autism community.
She mentioned that the group advocated for House Bill 1273 and Senate Bill 1554, aiming to mandate training for law enforcement officers on interacting with individuals who have autism. Nonetheless, these bills were unsuccessful this year.
"So, the explanation we're getting is that the Florida Sheriffs Association had a dispute regarding the bill," Hoagland stated.
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Hoaglund stated that her training for officers involves teaching them two straightforward techniques when dealing with individuals who have autism.
"Confront autism when you encounter individuals with the condition and learn how to defuse situations," Hoaglund stated.
Action News Jax reported that law enforcement officers in Clay, St. Johns, and Duval counties have undergone special training aimed at improving interactions with people who have autism.
More than 120 officers are sporting this blue badge at the Glynn County Police Department and will keep doing so until the end of April.
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