WOODSTOCK, Vt. (WCAX) – The Special Needs Information Program or SNIP is a tool to help police in the Upper Valley be better prepared when responding to calls. It aims to help a vulnerable population.
It’s estimated that around 18%-19% of people living in Vermont and New Hampshire have a disability. Law enforcement in the Upper Valley wants to know who they are to help better serve the community.
“People with disabilities have a higher rate of lethal force used against them,” said Kendra LaRoche of the Special Needs Support Center.
An online database aims to change that. It’s managed by the Special Needs Support Center which serves more than 1,000 clients across the Upper Valley.
“There is a child in our database who if they see someone in uniform, they are going to run away and they are going to run to the closest water source and the child can’t swim,” LaRoche said.
Aside from triggers, whether a person is verbal can be added, along with other mannerisms.
“Humming to yourself or rocking back and forth,” LaRoche gave as examples.
“Has the potential to really escalate the situation,” Windsor County Sheriff Ryan Palmer said.
There are currently 36 police departments in New Hampshire and Vermont with access to the information. The Special Needs Support Center is also working with police to provide additional de-escalation tactics.
“It connects us to a population that is made a little underserved or kind of gets forgotten about until they are in crisis,” Palmer said.
It’s not just about a crisis. Most people in the database now are elderly who suffer from dementia. Mobility issues are another reason to sign up.
“We can look up, oh there is someone with a disability with a wheelchair who lives at that address and there is a fire there. That’s really important information for a firefighter,” LaRoche said.
Information that the experts say could end up saving a life.
“The more information that the emergency responder have the better,” LaRoche said.
The program is completely free for all participants. Click here for more information about the program and how you can contribute to help keep it sustainable for the long term.
