BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KGET) — The California City Police Department announced a program on Friday to improve police interactions with the community.
The Special Needs Awareness Program seeks to promote inclusivity and serve as a communication awareness tool between law enforcement officers and community members with a medical condition or disability.
The program allows an individual or family to display the blue shield logo on their home, which lets officers or other community service personnel know someone with special needs may be present, according to city officials.
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The city said candidates include, but aren’t limited to, those with the following conditions:
- Speech impaired
- Visually impaired
- Hearing impaired
- Non-verbal
- Mood disorder
- Cognitive impairment
- Cerebral palsy
- Down syndrome
- Parkinson’s disease
- Alzheimer’s or dementia
- Autism
- Asperger’s
Participation is voluntary and free to the community. Information is stored in a confidential database, according to city officials.
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Dispatchers can access the database for an emergency or non-emergency call for service involving a registered individual, their associated vehicle license plate number or address…