The Alpena County Sheriff’s Office, in collaboration with the Alpena County Victim Services Unit, is launching a new program designed to make law enforcement interactions less stressful for individuals with autism and other special needs. Families who choose to participate in this program will provide basic information to receive a decal for their vehicle and home. These decals will be recognized by local law enforcement during traffic stops and home visits, allowing officers to be aware that they may need to approach the situation differently.
Individuals with autism may express themselves in ways that are not always easily recognizable to others. Through training, law enforcement officers will learn to recognize the LEAAP decal and adjust their approach to reduce stress during interactions as much as possible.
Families interested in the LEAAP program can submit an application and will be provided with up to three decals. These decals should be placed near home doorways and on the rear windows of vehicles commonly used by individuals with autism. This will allow law enforcement to identify when they may be interacting with someone who has autism or another special need.
We look forward to hearing from interested families and are happy to answer any questions you may have about the program. For more information, please contact Tathia Lockhart (Victim Services Unit). Please call the Alpena County Sheriff's Office at 989-354-9830 opt 3 to get Tathia's number. We hope this program will help improve the way we serve the people of Alpena County.
Sincerely,
Sheriff Erik W. Smith