“Giving an individual who may have a disability the opportunity to have that first traffic stop, be in a controlled environment,” said Laurie Reyes, the Montgomery County Police Autism IDD Alzheimer’s and Dementia Unit Police Officer.

“It’s more of a hands-on of, you know, what do you do when you get pulled over. Do you go to the side of the road? How do you safely navigate when you’re getting pulled over? What information should you provide to the police officer? And in general, just how to kind of alleviate those nerves should you get pulled over and having a safe traffic stop for all involved,” said Officer Reyes.

I think this is great, and kudos to Maryland for its community outreach. The thing I like most about this article is that they’re talking about people with IDD and driving, and I think there’s a misconception that no one with an intellectual disability can drive. They can! As long as we’re trying to figure out what police should be doing, this is an example of how they can actually support a community. Read full article here.