Sheriff’s Office Conducts Training with Autism Society

The Sheriff’s Office conducted a training exercise Monday with the Autism Society Greater Hudson Region at the Saratoga County Sheriff’s Office complex in the town of Milton.

 The training allowed deputies to conduct scenario-based mock traffic stops with volunteer drivers to familiarize themselves with what they might observe during an encounter with a driver who is on the autism spectrum. 

It also included an element where the drivers provided feedback to the deputies after the stop had concluded. Deputies also had the opportunity to integrate the Blue Envelope program into the exercises. 

The program is a free service offered by the Sheriff’s Office that provides a blue envelope to drivers on the spectrum that they can hand to law enforcement officer at a traffic stop or other encounter that identifies them as being on the spectrum. 

The envelope contains the driver’s license and other important documents and provides crucial information to both the driver and officer as to what they might experience during the stop. Importantly, it also contains an emergency contact for the driver. They are available by emailing sheriff@saratogacountyny.gov and putting “Blue Envelope” in the subject line.

“This was a terrific opportunity to see the traffic stop from the vantage point of someone on the spectrum,” commented Undersheriff Jeffrey R. Brown. “Our goal is to have a safe and efficient interaction and this training will certainly help us to do that.”