Chautauqua County Sheriff Jim Quattrone unveils “Friend of Sheriff” program (April 16, 2025)
The Chautauqua County Sheriff’s Office is starting two programs to give officers tools for assisting people with special needs.
Sheriff Jim Quattrone said the “Friends of Sheriff” initiative is about “building trust and promoting safety,” while “reducing anxiety and prevent situations from escalating.”
He said there are a lot of adult drivers with autism, “A driver’s physical movements or verbal responses which would normally be appropriate during a traffic stop may be beyond an autistic driver’s control. There have been unfortunate incidences where during a traffic stop with a person with autism the officer has misinterpreted the driver’s movements or the driver’s failure to appropriately respond to requests or directions… this has sometimes led to an escalation of the situation and resulted in a bad outcome.”
Quattrone said law enforcement agencies across the country, including the County Sheriff’s Office, have begun adopting the “Blue Envelope” program, “They’re encouraging drivers with autism to obtain a blue envelope in which drivers can keep their license, registration, and insurance card or other relevant documents that a police officer may request upon a traffic stop. And this way, when the police officer sees the blue envelope, the office is immediately alerted to the driver’s autism and can adjust his or her actions and reactions to fit that situation.”
Quattrone said the “Friends of Sheriff” program allows caregivers to voluntarily share information about people living in their house with special needs. He said that information is entered into the Sheriff’s Office dispatch system, which is secure, and flagged to alert responding officers.
Quattrone said those who sign up for the system can receive up to three 4×4 decals that can be put on a person’s car, mailbox, or other place on their home to notify first responders that someone in the home or vehicle has special needs.
Quattrone said that the Sheriff’s Academies across New York State have a training requirement for how to handle people in crisis and mental health calls, which includes working with people with autism. He said there’s also Crisis Intervention Team Training that goes into more detail. Quattrone said as part of this new initiative, officers will receive additional information and tips.
The Associated Press reports a 17-year old autistic, nonverbal teenage boy with cerebral palsy named Victor Perez died in Idaho after being shot repeatedly by police while he was holding a knife.
The National Autism Association said in a statement that during the last week, at least five autistic children died, including Victor Perez. One young autistic man was shot in the back by two men who jumped him after he became lost, and an exceptionally vulnerable young man with autism is still missing in Washington State.
In a statement released on social media, the NAA says that helpful prevention resources are available to families who have a loved one with autism, including free door alarms, a ‘Meet the Police’ toolkit, and more. April is World Autism Month.
The “Friends of Sheriff” form can be filled out at the Chautauqua County Sheriff’s Office in Mayville or requested by email. For more information, contact the Chautauqua County Sheriff’s Office at (716) 753-4900 or visit sheriff.us.
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