The Athens Police Department recently received a gift that will assist officers as they interact with individuals who have autism or other sensory needs. The APD received a Carter Kit from the Autism Society of Alabama, which contains items designed to comfort.

A Carter Kit was developed after a request from Justin Severs of the Saginaw Township Police Department. Severs’ own son, Carter, has Autism Spectrum Disorder.

“We need a tool to help us when we arrive at a scene with a special needs child,” Justin said.

The need was not unique to Saginaw, and now, more and more first responders are equipping their departments with Carter Kits. The kits include sensory toys, ear muffs, an emotion chart and more. The chart allows an individual to possibly show an officer what or how they are feeling.

The Carter Kit was provided to the APD by the Autism Society of Alabama as part of their Autism Safety Initiative. According to their website, “The Autism Safety Initiative includes autism-specific training for first responders on the unique challenges individuals with autism may face in an emergency situation or interaction with first responders. This initiative also includes providing safety resources for individuals with autism and their families.”

The Athens mayor’s office requested two Carter Kits from the Autism Society of Alabama, one for the APD and another for Athens Fire & Rescue. The city hopes to receive the second kit soon.