Chief Robert MacDonald is pleased to announce that the Dighton Police Department once again will be participating in the Autism Police Patch Program throughout the month of April to raise awareness of autism spectrum disorder (ASD).
Members of the Dighton Police Department will renew the tradition of wearing a special Autism Awareness patch on their uniforms during the month of April, which is National Autism Awareness Month.
The Dighton Police Department will also be selling a limited number of special Dighton Police autism awareness patches throughout the month of April while supplies last.
Patches can be purchased at the Dighton Police Station, 1458 Somerset Ave., Monday through Friday between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m. The patches are $10 each and the proceeds will go to the Doug Flutie, Jr. Foundation for Autism.
The Flutie Foundation provides financial assistance for families caring for a loved one with autism and educates the public about autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Click here to donate.
“We want to celebrate this month because we want to include and meet the specific needs of all individuals within the Dighton community,” Chief MacDonald said. “During the month of April, we have the opportunity to show our support for those living with autism in our community and their families. We encourage our residents to join us in supporting this very important cause.”
Additionally, Dighton Police are offering autism awareness seat belt covers free of charge for any Dighton resident in need of one. The seatbelt covers help first responders identify if a person in the vehicle is on the autism spectrum during an emergency. On the covers it states that the individual may be non-verbal and shares further information regarding how they may react in a dangerous situation.
To request a cover, residents should email Ptlm. Christopher Magan at cmagan@dighton-ma.gov to set up a time to receive it.
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