The Moorestown police department recently began the Blue Envelope Program, an effort to help drivers with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) communicate with police officers during traffic stops.
The envelopes are not new, but they are a first in the township.
The program started when the Moorestown Special Education Advocacy Council (SpEAC) reached out to police because they felt there was a void between the force and special needs residents in town. Following a SpEAC meeting where Sgt. Joel Mufalli spoke about the services township police and Burlington County offer individuals with special needs, members of SpEAC approached him with the Blue Envelope Program.
“Immediately I thought it was a great idea,” Mufalli recalled. “It just helps immensely with bridging that gap between the special needs individual and the police officer during any type of incident. It is the bullet points of exactly what you need and exactly what the officer needs to be aware of, so both people in that interaction are understanding of what’s going on.”
The program provides autistic drivers with a distinct blue envelope that stores essential documents such as a driver’s license, registration and insurance information. It also includes instructions to inform officers that the driver is on the autism spectrum and specific communication tips to reduce the likelihood of misunderstandings or escalations. The envelopes can be used on any road in any state.
For law enforcement, the envelope is a visual cue, alerting officers to modify their approach when communicating with an autistic driver. By improving mutual awareness and communication, the program aims to reduce stress and anxiety for autistic individuals, preventing potentially volatile situations. For more information, visit www.autismnj.org.
“It is not something that we, as a department, have done before, and it’s something that we want to keep going on indefinitely,” Mufalli explained.
Township residents interested in obtaining an envelope can pick one up at a SpEAC meeting or at the police department. An officer can also bring the envelope to residents.
“We’re big and small at the same time,” noted Kimmie Smith, former chair of Moorestown SpEAC, of the community. “But the police officers, they want to know things about our children. They want to know what would make the experience less of an inconvenience for our kids, because our kids can get stimulated easily by lights and sounds and flashlights and all that, and if they can find a way to ease it for our kids, they will.
“As long as it’s safe for them and safe for us, and I think this is the first step.”
“The more people that use it, the more it will be seen in other communities also,” said Anji Silveri, chair of Moorestown SpEAC, of the envelope program. “I feel like it’s just going to be so helpful for the driver and the police officers.”
For more information on Moorestown SpEAC, contact moorestownspeac@gmail.com.
