Autism Decal Alerts Deputies A Person With Autism Is Inside Home

POLK COUNTY, FL — The Autism Decal program recently launched by the Polk County Sheriff's Office provides free decals for area residents to place on their homes and vehicles alerting deputies that a person inside the home or vehicle has been diagnosed with autism.

"Our deputies are trained on the unique characteristics, behaviors, and needs of people with autism," Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd said. 'When a deputy sees one of these stickers or responds to a home that has registered for this program, he or she will know they might interact with someone who has difficulty communicating or interacting with others. This enables us to better communicate with those who have special needs.”

The autism decal includes a registration form, and the information on the form is entered into a Polk County Sheriff's Office database. Those who do not wish to affix a decal to their home or vehicle can still fill out the registration form to be entered into the database, a Polk County Sheriff's Office news release said.

The database enables PCSO to flag addresses into the dispatch system, so arriving deputies will be aware that someone with autism lives in the home.

If you are interested in participating in this program, please email autismdecal@polksheriff.org and a crime prevention specialist will send you the form and corresponding information.