KSHB 41 reporter Ryan Gamboa covers Cass County in Missouri. He also covers agricultural topics. Share your story idea with Ryan.
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The Belton, Missouri Police Department is offering a new voluntary program for residents with an intellectual disability called the "Blue Envelope" program.
The department says the program is to "support safer, calmer police encounters."
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Residents in Belton can now pick up a blue envelope at the police department of DMV.
People can fill out a form on the outside of the envelope that identifies a disability or sensitivity.
"There are other agencies on the Kansas side that have already started this initiative in their community. We feel like there may be citizens in their community that may be traveling in Belton or other areas near us," Lt. Mary Bruegge told KSHB 41. "We felt it was important for us to join in on the initiative."
"There could be a medical condition, lights or sounds may stimulate them and give them anxiety, they might be on the spectrum," Lt. Bruegge explained. "It's any sort of need that we may not even know of that they are voluntary getting this blue envelope and documenting an underlying condition."
The goal of the program is to help increase communication with officers and the public.
Lt. Bruegge explained, that if one chooses to participate, she encourages them to place the envelope in their visor. It's recommended they place important documentation inside, including their driver's license, registration, and insurance card.
"Say an officer pulls someone over for running a stop sign or is speeding. When that officer is approaching a vehicle and giving requests to see a license and proof of insurance and the driver has some sort of condition where they are not able to respond quickly, it can set a police officer on alert," said Bruegge. "This blue envelope gives them the ability to instantly, silently know that the driver has a condition or the occupant in the car has a condition."
Bruegge gave KSHB 41 Cass County Reporter Ryan Gamboa a demonstration as to how an officer is trained to handle a situation with a blue envelope.
"305, I am at a car stop with a driver that has provided a blue envelope," she said demonstrating a radio call to dispatch.
Notifying dispatch can help communicate who that officer is talking with and if special services might be needed.
Lt. Bruegge explained this is not a free pass to get out of a ticket; it's simply to help the officers work more efficiently and respectfully with the community they serve.
"Communication is key. If this is giving us the information we need, that helps prevent miscommunication," Bruegge added. "We just hope other agencies will climb on board and help increase the ability to communicate information quickly and silently and it can help car stops be very safe for everybody."
If you are in need of a blue envelope and live in the Belton area, you can stop by the police department to pick one up, as well as find them at the Belton License Office on North Scott Avenue.
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