WEST BATON ROUGE — Something as simple as a sticker on the back window of a car can make encounters between law enforcement and people with autism safer for both groups.
West Baton Rouge Parish Sheriff Jeff Bergeron kicked off a new effort this week to do exactly that.
Stickers showing colorful puzzle pieces behind the West Baton Rouge sheriff’s badge says “special needs occupant” and “please have patience.”
Bergeron said he had seen the stickers in use in other jurisdictions and thought they would be useful in West Baton Rouge.
The stickers are part of an effort to “better equip deputies with the knowledge and tools they need to effectively interact with individuals with autism,” Bergeron said.
Tangipahoa Parish Sheriff’s Office started a support group last fall to do the same thing.
Angels on the Spectrum meets monthly, giving deputies and families that include people with autism opportunities to learn from each other.
Tangipahoa Parish Deputy Jeannie Alexander took a break from law enforcement and worked in school settings with children with special needs. When she returned to law enforcement, she knew it was something she wanted to continue to do.
“It just really spoke to my heart,” Alexander said.
She said the support group has been hugely beneficial, both for law enforcement and for families supporting each other. They lean on each other and everyone learns something.
Alexander said law enforcement interactions with people with autism can be better when deputies understand why someone might behave in a way they don’t expect.
For example, some people with autism might have meltdowns in emergency situations and they may cope by running away. It’s important for law enforcement to know that they may find those people near, or in, water, which Alexander said is a fairly common tendency.
Law enforcement also needs experience with people who are non-verbal or people who may hug them unexpectedly, she said. They can keep everyone safer by having a better idea of how to respond.
“A lot of it is your body language,” she said.
Alexander said she has been amazed by the relationships that have grown though the group and between group members and law enforcement. She said people are realizing that neurodivergent minds can be beneficial for law enforcement.
The group meets Monday at 5 p.m. at the 21st Judicial District juvenile court building at 801 S. First St. in Amite. Meetings are the first Monday of each month.
In West Baton Rouge, stickers like those for vehicles are also available for homes. They they can be placed near the front door.
Families with a person with autism in their home can also sign up to have that information stored in the sheriff’s office dispatch system, so deputies responding to any kind of emergency call can be given that information even before they arrive on scene, Bergeron said.
He said the registration is completely voluntary.
“We just want to make sure that those interactions with the special needs individuals are safe, respectful and informed,” he said.
West Baton Rouge deputies have done some online training through the Louisiana Commission on Law Enforcement to improve skills for working with people with special needs, and Bergeron said he’s like to add in-person training.
“You know it can help prevent the misunderstanding that could escalate unnecessarily,” Bergeron said.
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