Camden County begins program to alert police how to interact with a motorist with autism. It’s a first for South Jersey.

Police traffic stops can unnerve anyone.

For a person with autism, such moments can be especially fraught, scientists say.

With that in mind, the Camden County prosecutor’s office, along with county commissioners, are launching a traffic initiative Tuesday meant to help autistic drivers and police manage the stress of such a stop.

Known as the Blue Envelope program, the idea is to improve understanding and communication between police and individuals with autism.

Drivers with autism will be given envelopes that provide instructions on how to handle a traffic stop. By producing the blue envelope, the driver will be making the officer aware that the motorist is a person with autism and has “unique communication needs” that require greater patience and clarity, according to Camden County officials.

Cherry Hill officials announced a similar Blue Envelope initiative last Friday. Both the county and township programs are thought to be the first such efforts in South Jersey. Several similar programs have been launched in North Jersey, as well as in other states.

“The Blue Envelope is a simple but powerful tool that can make a big difference for people with autism as well as for our law enforcement officers,” Cherry Hill Township Police Chief John Ostermueller said.

And Camden County Commissioner Director Louis Cappelli Jr. noted, “Giving the public and officers the tools to process the dynamics on scene when they are facilitating a car stop is exactly the kind of analysis both parties need to ensure the safety of the driver and the officer.”

Autism is a neurobiological disorder characterized by impairments in social communication and interaction as well as restricted and repetitive patterns of behavior, according to Autism New Jersey in Robbinsville, Mercer County, a nonprofit committed to ensuring safe and fulfilling lives for individuals with autism, their families, and the professionals who support them.

For officers, the Blue Envelope will contain a notice that explains the following:

“Having autism may impact how ... [drivers with autism] interact with you. Please consider the following:

“This person may exhibit signs of anxiety due to bright lights and noises, including your radio.

“The individual may display repetitive body movements or fidgeting and may not make/maintain eye contact. Speak clearly and use simple explanations. Limit unnecessary details.

“Avoid asking multiple questions at once and allow the individual extra time to respond. Give clear instructions throughout your interaction, including next steps. If the individual becomes upset or emotional, consider calling the emergency contact.”

For the driver, the Blue Envelope message instructs:

“Keep your hands on the steering wheel, even when the police officer is not next to your car. The officer may shine a flashlight in your car, may wear a noisy radio device, and may have flashing lights on their car.

“When the officer approaches your car, tell them you have a Blue Envelope. … Answer the officer’s questions and ask the officer before moving your body. If the police officer gives instructions or asks for certain documents, cooperate with those requests.”

Both sets of instructions “contain a lot of good things in them,” said Art Dowdy, an autism expert and behavior analyst in the College of Education and Human Development at Temple University.

It would also help officers to know that people with autism may exhibit behaviors that shouldn’t be seen as signs of resistance, Dowdy added.

“An autistic individual could push away the hand of someone asking questions, and it’d be beneficial to police to understand this isn’t intentional defiance,” he said.

Bill Jensen, co-founder of Luke’s Place, an Audubon nonprofit dedicated to serving people 21 and older with autism, said the organization will participate in the Blue Envelope program.

“Our young people can drive safely, but they would still need a bit of help at a police traffic stop,” he said. “It’s about safety, and the blue envelope adds to that.

“The blue says to police, ‘more softening, more understanding.’”