A Conversation on Disabilities and Public Safety

Earlier this year, a person who is hard of hearing reached out to the Independent Police Monitor (IPM) to express concern about communication challenges during a potential nighttime traffic stop.

The individual who voiced their concerns became a catalyst for positive change, prompting our police and fire departments to actively seek ways to understand and improve their interactions with the communities they serve.

On May 18, the Independent Police Monitor (IPM) and Center for People With Disabilities hosted a Public Safety Listening Session. Members from the disability community engaged with representatives from Boulder Police and Fire Departments so they could learn what they didn’t know.

Public safety staff learned about the concerns people with disabilities often feel when interacting with first responders and openly listed to suggestions on ways they could improve interactions. Several ideas were proposed for continued dialogue, including: the creation of a working group composed of first responders and people with disabilities; quarterly open meetings; and ongoing training coordination. Attendees also stressed the importance that any safety initiatives developed in Boulder be shared with surrounding law enforcement agencies. A request was also made for the City of Boulder to create a single accessible webpage linking all of the current and proposed resources during the conversation.

At the event, the Boulder Police Department (BPD) proposed two potential resources to reduce communication challenges during emergency response to residences or traffic stops. BPD recently unveiled one resource – the Autism Decal Program that was vetted through relationships developed at the listening session.

“I am grateful that community members feel comfortable coming to me when they have a concern and that we have first responders that heard the concern and wanted to know what they didn’t know so they could do better,” said IPM Sherry Daun. “Core goals of police oversight include engaging with the community and enhancing trust between the community and law enforcement. We intend to continue our dialogue to develop strong partnerships between the disability community and first responders.”

This effort directly relates to the city’s equity efforts and commitment in continuing to address institutional and structural inequities that impact our community. The IPM recommends improvements to police policies and practices; sometimes those recommendations come from case reviews and in other situations they result from a conversation from a concerned community member.

Connect with IPM Sherry Daun via email DaunS@bouldercolorado.gov or give her a call at (303) 413-7859.