A new program aims to strengthen communication between first responders and those with disabilities through the use of requestable blue envelopes.
The Blue Envelope Program is a voluntary initiative launched in collaboration between the City of Boise and the Boise Police Department (BPD) in early September.
Each envelope holds a copy of the user’s license, registration and insurance. Participants can also indicate their disability and preferred communication methods, such as an interpreter or a mobility aid, on the outside of the envelope. It also provides space for the individual’s name and emergency contact information.
However the program is intended for more than just the participants, according to Jen Grush-Dale, a member of the City of Boise’s Cross Disability Task Force.
“It’s not just about the driver. It can also be about the passengers,” Grush-Dale said. “If you have a deaf child in the car, they’re not going to hear [first responders] say, ‘You got to get out of the car now.’ Somebody needs to go to that child and help get them out of the car.”
The task force is made up of a group of individuals with various disabilities who advise the city on parking, construction and events to ensure Boise is accessible.
Anyone can request a blue envelope at several locations, including City Hall, an Ada County driver’s license office or online through the City of Boise Accessibility Program. The envelopes are not currently available at DMVs at this time.
With the initiative already being piloted in 30 other states, BPD introduced the Blue Envelope Program after consulting the city’s Cross Disabilities Task Force to see if it was a “good fit” for Ada County.
“Officers are expecting people to need to gather [license and registration] anyway when they get pulled over,” Haley Williams, BPD spokesperson, said. “They could give the blue envelope to the officer as a way to say, ‘Hey, I am hard of hearing, to indicate the interaction might look a little different or I need a little bit of extra time.’”
The department said it received “a lot of really good feedback” about the envelopes, according to Williams. From Sept. 12 to Sept. 21, nearly 200 envelopes were distributed or requested. Within the first few days, BPD saw over 80 email requests.
“We’re also trying to educate both police officers and first responders around disability issues, so that it’s again a safer interaction for everyone,” said Grush-Dale.
Mel Leviton, executive director of the Idaho State Independent Living Council, shares that same sentiment about officer education.
“People with disabilities are just as individual as anybody else. So what works for one person may not work for another person,” Leviton said.
One of Leviton’s concerns with the program is in regards to the broadness of officer training and if law enforcement has a firm understanding of what the envelope means.
However, according to Williams, officers are “well trained in how to respond to people’s cues for additional support.” However, Leviton believes interactions between officers and people with disabilities must start before a tense traffic stop.
“We all get to know each other better in non-stress environments. Not when there is already a problem,” said Leviton. “I don’t think [traffic stops] are a good time for law enforcement or the general public or anyone with disabilities to figure out who’s going to help them.”
An example of a non-stress environment, Williams said, is the annual All Abilities Welcome event in Ann Morrison Park which allows for face to face interactions between officers and individuals with disabilities.
While Leviton has concerns, she believes in the program due to the disability community’s involvement.
“When there’s a sincere effort to provide more information for safety, I think that’s definitely a positive step,” Leviton said.
Individuals living outside Ada County can also request and receive blue envelopes, although only officers in the county have received training on how to recognize and use them.
“We really just want people to feel understood and know that we’re taking the time to communicate with them in a way that works for them,” Williams said.
