Californians with disabilities may receive a police to deal with police

From Deborah BrennanCalmness

This story was originally published by CalmattersS Register about their ballots.

Almost everyone gets nervous while stopping movement, but people with disabilities also worry whether an employee understands their condition or could incorrectly interpret their symptoms.

The legislator of the Internal Empire wants to facilitate Californians with disabilities to cope with the suspension of police traffic, allowing drivers to present law enforcement authorities with special blue envelopes containing information about their vehicle and disabled accommodation.

San Diego introduced a blue accusation program in 2023, and Riverside and San Bernardino deployed their last year. Several countries on the east coast and Colorado also use blue envelopes.

State Senator Rosilicie Ochoa BoghRepublican Redlands, Introduced a bill In February to expand the program throughout California.

“It provides preparation and awareness of the public safety of it, but it also adapts and relieves the fear and panic that our ingredients with disabilities can have,” said Ochoa God. “This de -escapes the potential of the police stops in our country.”

Stopping the movement on the program can go something similar: an employee stops the driver and wants identification. The driver asks to present a blue envelope that contains copies of the driver’s license, insurance and registration and possibly appropriate information on the disability of the person.

The blue envelope signals the employee to slow down and be patient, and this makes the driver more comfortable interacting with law enforcement agencies.

But critics have concerns about confidentiality and say that the bill does not include the resources needed to make sure that the program unfolds effectively.

“This will have to be a quality program and this bill is not reaching,” says Beth Burt, CEO of the Autism Empire of the Internal Empire.

The Ochoa Bogh bill calls on the Ministry of Motor vehicles to print and distribute blue envelopes with safety and communication tips for officers and drivers. They would also provide empty spaces where drivers can write in their needs, accommodation and emergency contact information.

DMV will offer the blue envelopes on request. Ochoa Bogh admitted that some people do not want to disclose their disabilities; No one should participate.

The bill will go to a hearing of the Senate Transport Committee on April 28.

During the stopping of the movement, some people with disabilities may respond in ways that employees can read as signs of guilt or challenge.

For example, said Ochoa God, people with cerebral palsy may have tremor who could be misunderstood as nervous or guilty behavior. Burt said employees sometimes make the symptoms of shaking to drive under influence.

People with limited verbal abilities “can take time to process information and formulate an answer” to the officer’s questions, said Ochoa God, while those with physical disabilities can take more time to get out of the vehicle.

For autism drivers, stopping traffic can worsen communication difficulties and Exaggerate stimswhich are reflective, repetitive movements and other anxious body language.

Disabilities have led to tragedy. Last year, Sheriff’s Sheriff’s Sheriff’s Sheriff’s Sheriff fired and killed A 15-year-old boy from Apple Valley who had autism after loading one of them with a garden instrument. At that time, news reports stated that it was unclear if MPs knew there was autism, but the family brought a case Firm civil rights violationsS

Therefore, Burt believes that the blue envelopes program across the country should be applied to all public safety meetings, including those including pedestrians, cyclists and transit riders, not just stopping. And she said there must be training to make sure everyone is on the same page.

Employees need to learn how to communicate with people with disabilities and how to calm tense situations, she said. People with disabilities and their families need to know how to react safely while stopping traffic. And they need to know what he is doing and doesn’t do the program.

“One of our concerns is that families will believe that this is a prison program; it is good that I will take a step or take an acceleration because I have a blue envelope,” she said.

Burt said her organization worked with the law enforcement of the San Bernardino County and from the Regional Center of the interior to build the district program by spending $ 50,000 for the production of goods, including envelopes, bracelets, key chains, straps, stickers and seatbelts to help people communicate for their injuries. They also provided written materials in several languages.

Burt said he appreciated Ochoa Bogh’s intentions, but the successful blue shell program takes more time and resources than her bill would provide.

“When you have a quality program with quality quality, we saw what it does for adults with autism and other disabilities,” she said. “They feel safe and hear, against a free program where you will just put the envelopes with DMV.”

Last year Kate Sanchez Kate SanchezRepublican by ranch Santa Margarita, introduced a A similar bill To create a state program for blue envelopes across the country, which would cost approximately $ 8.3 million. This bill failed with the Commission.

This time, Ochoa Bogh calls on public organizations to help to cover the cost of producing and distributing blue envelopes. She said the creation of a state system would provide consistency for people traveling with disabilities.

“This is a framework by which local jurisdictions can work and change so that no one is rediscovering the wheel and that there is some common between neighboring counties,” she said. “He de -escalates, trains and enables everyone to have a more friendly interaction.”

This article was Originally Published on CalMatters and was reissued under Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-Noderivatives License.