New Autism Decal Program To Help PCSO Deputies ID Those With Needs

POLK COUNTY, FL — The Polk County Sheriff’s Office has launched a new free program that allows residents to easily place decals on their homes and vehicles to alert deputies that someone with there has been diagnosed with autism.

"Our deputies are trained on the unique characteristics, behaviors, and needs of people with autism. 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," Sheriff Grady Judd said in a news release.

The autism decal comes with a registration form, and the information on the form is entered into a 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. 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, email autismdecal@polksheriff.org and a crime prevention specialist will send you the form and corresponding information.