TEMPLE, Texas (FOX 44) – The Temple Police Department is now offering free Special Needs stickers to all Temple residents.
The department says that those receiving the stickers are instructed to display them at a prominent location on or near the front door of their residence – where an approaching first responder can see it.
The stickers say: “A person with special needs lives here; be aware that simple instructions may not be understood.”
The department understands that for people living with special needs, interactions with police
officers can be especially stressful. They hope the sticker can serve as a new tool to assist with
daily interactions with community members.
“As police officers, when we go to a scene, we don’t know what we are walking into. But seeing
one of these stickers can give us a better idea of who lives inside a home,” said Temple Police
Department Chief Shawn Reynolds. “Having that knowledge will indicate if we need to change
our approach.”
The stickers are available for free at the Temple Police Department lobby, located at 209 E. Avenue A.