PUNTA GORDA, Fla. — Charlotte County Sheriff Bill Prummell is taking steps to better prepare his deputies to interact with people with intellectual disabilities, and people experiencing a mental health crisis.
At a Friday press conference, Sheriff Prummell unveiled three new autism awareness squad cars that will be driven by the community policing unit. The cars are wrapped in autism awareness logos, and the autism puzzle piece symbols.
Watch FOX 4's Charlotte County Community Correspondent Alex Orenczuk report on CCSO's efforts to improve deputy interactions with people with intellectual disabilities and people experiencing a mental health crisis:
“It's important that we bring awareness to our community,” said Sheriff Prummell. “Especially in our business it's important that we know and understand the individuals that we are dealing with out in our community.”
While speaking, Sheriff Prummell was holding his grandson, who he said has autism.
“This isn't just important to me as Sheriff and protecting everybody in the community, but it's also personal,” said Sheriff Prummell.
A new decal sticker design for CCSO’s Handle With Care program was revealed at the press conference as well. The stickers are used to let law enforcement know that the person they are interacting with has an intellectual disability.
“It's very important to us that when we are out there interacting with our community that we can quickly identify, and we understand how to communicate and recognize what their disability is and what we need to do so everybody stays safe,” said Sheriff Prummell.
Deputy Lou Henyecz works in the community policing unit and will be driving one of the autism awareness squad cars. He told Fox 4 that recognizing a person has an intellectual disability by looking at the sticker is invaluable information during a stop.
“That will help us to slow down a little bit, refocus and address those needs for that individual person,” said Dep. Henyecz. “So we will tailor our interaction to that person and that person’s needs.”
Sheriff Prummell was joined by representatives from the Loveland Center, a non-profit that supports people with intellectual disabilities. Becca Eldredge, the organization's chief programs officer said the new cars and effort to bring awareness to intellectual disabilities is appreciated.
“A really important part of what we do is community inclusion, so being seen and heard, we like to say the individuals we support are apart of not apart from the community,” said Eldredge. “So, that's why this initiative is so important to us, bringing awareness to people with disabilities and helping them get out in the community and be connected with the deputies is really important.”
In addition to awareness, Sheriff Prummell shared a goal to have all of his deputies complete Crisis Intervention Training. CIT training helps prepare deputies to respond to people having a mental health crisis with compassionate care, and knowledge of resources available to that person.
“There are a lot of people out there that need a little bit more time and a little bit more understanding,” said Sheriff Prummell.
If you would like a Handle With Care decal sticker, you can pick one up at a CCSO district office, or email communityaffairs@ccsofl.net.
