By Stephanie Irvine

The City of Wilmington is following in the footsteps of the Bourbonnais Police Department by implementing a new special needs notification program to help first responders better assist that population when emergencies or calls for service arise.

The free, voluntary program allows residents to request notes about any special needs individuals be added to the dispatch system’s records. If there is ever a call for service, first responders will have access to the information so they can be prepared prior to arriving on scene.

Wilmington Police Department’s Deputy Chief Justin Dole, a resident of Bourbonnais whose youngest child is autistic, first learned about the Bourbonnais program online.

“It hit home, and I signed up my house in Bourbonnais for this exact same program. I want my first responders to know if they show up at my house, there’s a kid in this house with special needs, so they’re fully prepared before they get on scene,” Dole explained.

About the same time Dole was signing up his family, residents in Wilmington learned of the Bourbonnais Police Department’s program and took to Facebook to express a desire to have it implemented in their city.

“We saw [the response] on Facebook, where a lot of our local people said, ‘Hey Wilmington PD is this something we can implement here?’ When we saw how much interaction we were getting, we said hey, let’s get this thing started here,” Dole said of the impetus to have the program in Wilmington.

Dole said he reached out to Bourbonnais Police Department Commander Brent Barrie, who implemented the program in Bourbonnais, to learn what to do and how to get it started. Barrie was more than welcoming of Dole’s request and helped instruct him how to set up the program in Wilmington.

The program is open to Wilmington residents with special needs, including but not limited to those with autism spectrum disorder, auditory processing disorder, intellectual/developmental disability, down syndrome, traumatic brain injury, dementia, Alzheimer’s disease or other disabilities that prevent the individual from reacting appropriately in emergency situations, the Wilmington Police Department’s website states.

“We want to make sure your special needs child, brother, sister, whomever, gets treated the best we can treat them. If we know ahead of time, we will have the understanding en route — we might have change our normal response to accommodate special needs. Let’s read the notes, and address things differently,” Dole said.

For example, an individual may request that any EMS calls be silent runs, meaning no lights and sirens on arrival, Dole explained.

If anyone has a question about eligibility, Dole encourages them to reach out or fill out an application.

“Especially with dementia, that’s huge, just like with all the special needs — it’s not just autism. There’s a whole lot of things that we can give our officers a heads up about and so they can act accordingly,” Dole said.

For those who fill out an application but aren’t sure what to add to the notes, Dole said he would personally talk with them, and if they’re open to a visit, the officers would stop by their home at a time convenient to them.

“I’d contact them and ask, would it be a good idea to hand-deliver decals so we can get to know the person we may encounter, and meet face to face, so our officers have an idea of how that person is. It’s a huge asset to go there and interact with the person so our officers have an idea what to expect,” Dole explained.

Dole added the benefit of meeting those individuals is two-fold; it also helps reduce some fears or unknowns that an individual with special needs may have about first responders. If an emergency occurs, they may not be as reactive, plus it allows the officers can get to know that person.

“I have trust in it. I’m doing it. I want to make sure that if they have special needs, I want them to be doing it here as well,” Dole added for anyone skeptical of being on a list. He added that it’s completely voluntary and intended to be a proactive program that can help everyone.

Dole explained that the Wilmington Police Department is “well-trained” in interacting with individuals with brain and behavioral issues and is only looking to help with this program.

Wilmington Police Department’s officers go through a 40-hour Crisis Intervention Training (CIT), which is described by the Illinois Law Enforcement Training Board as strengthening “an officer’s ability to recognize behavioral health crises, communicate effectively, and safely de-escalate high-stress situations using trauma-informed practices.”

Individuals with special needs may not understand commands or be able to respond to or comply with them. They may wander off, or not recognize dangers, or have behavioral triggers, which is where the notification system can come into play.

“I just want people to understand we care about our community. We want to make sure when we respond to calls, our first priority is everyone’s safety, and they know we care about them. We want the outcome to be good,” Dole said.

Though the program just launched, the reception has been positive. The Wilmington Police Department has already had several applications come in and welcomes more.

Dole explained one parent who enrolled took advantage of the opportunity to meet and engage with the police officers when Dole offered an in-person visit and hand-delivery of the decal.

“She was thrilled. Officers were there for about an hour engaging with the person. Our officers had a great interaction and so did the person with special needs. It worked out really good,” Dole explained.

He hopes more people will want to participate and that other police departments can learn about the program and implement it in their towns.

To participate in the program, the police department requests those interested complete a form and waiver online at https://police.wilmington-il.gov/autism-awareness/.

Those who prefer hard copies may pick them up at the Wilmington Police Department and at Wilmington City Hall.

An optional decal is available for those who wish to display it on the back window of their vehicle or on a window near the front door of their home. If an individual has questions but wasn’t sure about completing the form, Dole welcomes them to contact him by email at [email protected].

Stephanie Irvine is a freelance reporter.