WHITE PLAINS, NY (April 19, 2025) — Westchester County Executive Ken Jenkins announced the launch of the Blue Envelope Program on April 18, 2025, aimed at improving interactions between law enforcement and drivers with autism or other communication challenges during traffic stops. The initiative, unveiled alongside county legislators, public safety officials, and autism advocacy groups, provides participants with a blue envelope to store their driver’s license, registration, and insurance card, signaling to police officers the need for tailored communication.
“Implementing the Blue Envelope Program in Westchester was an easy decision,” Jenkins said. “It creates a simple way for drivers with autism or similar disabilities to discreetly communicate their condition, while providing helpful information to police officers during a routine traffic stop.”
The program instructs drivers to inform officers of the blue envelope, retrieve it from an accessible location like the sun visor or glove compartment, and hand it to the officer, who uses the enclosed instructions to facilitate a calm interaction. Police officers receive training to recognize and respond to the blue envelope’s significance.
Board of Legislators Chairman Vedat Gashi said, “Blue Envelope exemplifies how community engagement leads to meaningful change, creating safer interactions between law enforcement and individuals with communication challenges.” He credited constituent George ‘Duff’ Bailey, whose advocacy for his son with autism inspired the program.
Majority Whip Terry Clements, also Public Safety Committee Chair, said, “This program directly addresses critical gaps in roadside communication, giving officers vital information and providing peace of mind to families of drivers with autism, dementia, and anxiety disorders.”
Legislator Nancy E. Barr said, “By providing law enforcement with notice of a disability and the training to manage it, we are helping to ensure the safety of the driver, the police officer and the public.”
Commissioner of Public Safety Terrance Raynor said, “The Blue Envelope program gives an officer an immediate awareness that a driver may have unique communication or behavioral responses during their interaction. It will invaluable to help to avoid any misunderstandings.”
Evan Latainer, Director of the Office for People with Disabilities, said, “The Blue Envelope Program is another example of Westchester County taking positive steps to assist and also protect both the disabled community and our law enforcement to be better prepared when interacting together.”
Eleanor Evangelista of the Westchester Institute for Human Development said, “As the mother to a 26-year-old son on the autism spectrum, who obtained his NYS Learners Permit and requested driving lessons on his birthday this past Saturday, this definitely lightens the pause I feel when I imagine him out the road in the near future.”
Tibisay Guzmán, CEO of The Arc Westchester, said, “This program provides law enforcement with a valuable visual tool to recognize when someone may have difficulty responding or communicating during a traffic stop. It offers reassurance and promotes greater safety for the individuals we support and their families.”
Watch the News Conference Here:
