The Boulder County Sheriff’s Office announced yesterday that they have launched a “Blue Envelope Program,” which is designed to enhance communication between law enforcement and individuals with disabilities needing special accommodations during interactions. The program is optional and specifically designed for people with autism spectrum disorder, dementia, or other conditions that might require more awareness from law enforcement during an interaction.
Those who opt into the program will fill out a blue envelope with important information about their condition or special needs and hand the envelope to an officer during a police interaction, such as a traffic stop. The sheriff’s office said that deputies have “undergone training on common needs and best practices to support positive interactions with community members.” Individuals should keep the blue envelope on their person or in their vehicle’s glove compartment for easy access.
The program is free and blue envelopes are now available upon request at the Boulder County Sheriff’s Office, Lyons Substation, Nederland Substation, and Superior Substation. You can also request an envelope by emailing [email protected].
“The envelope is intended to be a message to law enforcement, should we stop you in a traffic stop or contact you out in the community,” Boulder County Sheriff Curtis Johnson said in an announcement video about the program. “Simply presenting the blue envelope to our employees will alert them that they need to be aware that you might need special considerations during our contact… they’ll automatically know that you might need a little extra time while they’re working with you.”
