WINDSOR COUNTY, Vt. – The Windsor County Sheriff’s Department and the Special Needs Support Center (SNSC) announce the expansion of the Special Needs Information Program (SNIP), a program to help emergency responders identify and respond to vulnerable residents with disabilities.
SNIP is a voluntary program in which community members of any age, or their family members, submit information such as triggers, special accommodations, emergency contacts, and a photograph. The information is entered into a database to which the police officers and dispatch team have access. This is an expansion of the project launched by SNSC and Lebanon, Hartford, and Hanover Police Departments.
SNSC will be leading police officer training for all 25 officers at the Windsor County Sheriff’s Department on best practices for interacting with individuals with disabilities. “Disabled individuals are seven times more likely to interact with the police,” says Dr. Kendra LaRoche, executive director for SNSC. “Not all disabilities are visible. Problems result when there is an unexpected reaction that may result from a disability, or communication is hindered because an individual uses communication measures that are nonverbal. If those responding, whether police or a first responder to an accident, are flagged that an individual may have a disability, they can expect the unexpected, such as longer wait times before following instructions, use communication boards, and turn off loud sirens and flashing lights.”
“We are incredibly excited to participate in such an amazing program run by top notch people,” Sheriff Ryan Palmer continues, “This will significantly increase our abilities to serve the citizens of Windsor County, especially those with disabilities and their families.” Windsor County Sheriff’s Department’s adoption of SNIP will expand its service area to the following towns: Barnard, Cavendish, Hartland, Plymouth, Pomfret, Reading, Rochester, Sharon, Chelsea, and Tunbridge.
To register for the Special Needs Information Program, complete the form by visiting www.snsc-uv.org/snip, call the Windsor County Sheriff’s Department at 802-457-5211 and request an officer be dispatched to your residence to assist you in completing the form, or call the Special Needs Support Center at 603-448-6311 and a team member will help you complete the form over the phone or in the office.