As a Mother of a Special needs adult, who may look normal at first appearance to those who dont know her, I am constantly concerned with the possibilities of what could occur when pulled over by the police. My Daughter Angel, is severly intellectually delayed. Although she is 22 she has the intellectual capacity of that of a five year old child. She also has speech impairments making it difficult for her to be understood by others and her intellect would make it very difficult to understand all commands given to her, also since she has the mind of a child the very aggressive behavior most police officers use in some of their human interaction can instill a great amount of confusion and fear causing grave reprocussions or deadly force used by officers. Since Most police officers are not trained in any kind of crisis management and are not experianced in interacting with people of special needs who are mentally or physically communication impaired, these possibilties for misunderstandings and unnecessary violence or needless tragic death terrify me to my core. So I propose a way to warn the officers and protect not only the "communication Impaired" individual but also the officer from their own human flaws which could lead to misjudgement, false persception and misunderstandings. Possibly leading to needless violence or harm. This could atleast give them warning on how to approach a certain individual/s. I propse a state regulated bumper sticker or plate that can only be aquired through your local dapartment of public safety. It would only be for people who can provide medical documentation as to their "physical or mental communication impairment" such as having such a low intellectual or cognitive ability making it very difficult to understand and comply with simple commands and or if the individual is hearing or verbally imparied, also making it difficult to respond, reply or hear or understand what is being requested of them. I would like there to be a most quickly recognizable color like flourescent orange to designate" intellectual communication impairment" such as low cogbitive ability and flourescent green to designate "Physical Communication Impairment" due to being hearing or speaking impaired. Not only to protect the special needs individual but to warn and hold accountable any officer that does not handle the situation accordingly with the special and sensitive care called for in that particular situation required by the notification and warning of the very visible Angel Sticker. Since special need individuals can be a passenger in any numerous vehicles a sticker would make it more accessible for the special needs individual to get the protection and warning they deserve. Please help caretakers, guardians and parents and individuals of Communication Impairment Protect our loved ones. It a small step to saving many of our angels from needless tragedy or death. I would like to call them Angel Stickers with each sticker having an angel logo to make it even more recognizable.
