TOOELE, Utah — The Tooele City Police Department are utilizing a new tool to assist families with Autism, as well as other developmental disabilities and mental health diagnoses.
Tooele police partnered with Bee Kids Utah, a Mental Health and Wellness Center in Tooele to put on an Autism Fair last weekend, during Autism Awareness Month.
That is where the department announced the creation of their safety roster.
"The goal is to try and have people input this information on their loved ones so that when we respond, we can respond appropriately and with empathy," said Cpl. Colbey Bentley, Tooele City Police Department.
Cpl. Bentely told FOX 13 News on Friday the idea for the safety roster was sparked during training they had in December of last year with the Utah Attorney General's Office and the Autism Council.
It was there they did live scenarios on how they would react to different situations with those who have autism and respond appropriately.
He says a speaker during that training also spoke about a similar initiative that the Unified Police Department does, called Operation Safeguard.
On Friday, Cpl. Bentley showed FOX 13 News how the safety roster is intended to work.
"It's going to ask your specific relationship to the person with the disability," Cpl. Bentley pointed out.
It also asks for any identifying features and even allows you to upload a current picture.
"We can blast that out to the police department and say this is who we are looking for," said Cpl. Bentley.
The form, Cpl. Bentley says, allows those who sign up to list a primary and co-existing diagnosis.
"A big thing that people can input into this system is different triggers and different things that we can do to help deescalate the situation upon arriving," said Cpl. Bentley.
It's information that Cpl. Bentley says goes directly to the Tooele City Police Department and is shared with Tooele County Dispatch.
"It doesn't go anywhere else, it doesn't get shared with other agencies," said Cpl. Bentley.
The safety roster, he says, helps bolster how they respond and do something better than what they are already doing.
Bee Kids Utah also provided some input into how the safety roster works.
"Just helped build in some of the terminology and then additional resources that we thought would help add," said Brenna Wagner, Co-Owner/COO of Bee Kids Utah.
Wagner and Co-Owner/CEO Lara Shields says it is a great tool for police to be able to utilize in a situation that they're called to.
"It's allowing Tooele Police Department to be able to enter those situations with all of the information that they need to know, to be able to best help that individual," said Shields.
Amandamae Peterson is has six-year-old child boy who is limited verbal autistic.
"Up until about three years ago my son didn't understand you can't run out into the streets, you can't just walk up to somebody. You get out of the car, he would dart across the parking lot," said Peterson.
Obstacles and challenges, she says, can be dangerous in an emergency situation.
"Having somebody they don't know, try to help them, you'll have complete breakdowns, hitting screaming, fighting, trying to run fight, flight freeze," said Peterson.
The safety roster is something Peterson says she plans to utilize.
"I think it's a brilliant idea, especially when, if I'm not able to communicate, they're able to see what's helpful, what isn't helpful," said Peterson.
Cpl. Bentley says they've had about 30 people sign up so far. He says those who sign up are asked to renew every year, so police can have the most up to date information.
For more information on the safety roster, you can scan the QR code or visit the Tooele City Police Department Facebook page here.
