When drivers with autism encounter police officers, they are often unsettled by the lights, sounds and communication challenges that come with a traffic stop.
Officers on these stops may sometimes take their lack of eye contact, sudden movement and extreme anxiety as defiance or disrespect, when they are simply signs of their condition.
So, when Throop Chief of Police Andy Kerecman received an email a few months ago about the Blue Envelope Program, which aims to guide communication between drivers with autism spectrum disorder and police officers during traffic stops, he was immediately interested.
Now drivers with autism can pick up the Blue Envelopes from the Throop Police Department at any time, 24 hours a day.
If no one is at the station, residents can call 911 and ask them to meet them there to provide the packet.
“We give them the envelope, answer any questions they might have and they’re on their way,” he said.
First steps
Kerecman’s first step was to contact Cheryl Stehle, founder of Autism Toolbox Training, about the program, which includes a special four-hour training for police officers.
Throop police officers completed the class, which was well worth the time and effort, Kerecman said.
The officers had been trained about how to properly approach those with disabilities, but the class provided an opportunity for them to refresh their skills and knowledge.
When someone with autism is approached in the driver’s seat, for example, they might avoid eye contact or begin rocking.
Those actions are not a sign of defiance, but rather coping skills to deal with sensory overload and anxiety.
The Blue Envelope is a solution to these concerns. The envelope contains copies of the individual’s driver’s license, registration, and insurance information of the driver; emergency contact information; and a clear note alerting the officer that the driver is autistic and may need extra time, space, or communication support. It indicates whether the driver is verbal or nonverbal.
The envelope also directs drivers with autism to keep their hands visible, keep their hands on the steering wheel, ask for permission to move, answer questions during a traffic stop, and hand officers the blue envelope during a traffic stop.
Friday was the first day the program was offered and Kerecman deemed it a success.
By 3 p.m., four people had stopped by for the envelopes. One Throop resident was picking up the envelope for his adult son, who lives in another area.
The man said he sometimes worried about his son when he was on the road and the card provided the perfect solution.
The Blue Envelopes can be picked up at Throop Police Headquarters, 201 Charles St., or Lehigh Valley Physician Group pediatric offices.
The patient and family information page inside the envelope is available in English and Spanish.
Chief of Police Andrew Kerecman holds a blue envelope at the Throop Police Department headquarters in Throop on Friday, Jan. 09, 2026. In case of a traffic stop, the envelope will signal to officers that the driver is on the Autism spectrum. (REBECCA PARTICKA/STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER)
A blue envelope on a desk at the Throop Police Department headquarters in Throop on Friday, Jan. 09, 2026.In case of a traffic stop, the envelope will signal to officers that the driver is on the Autism spectrum. (REBECCA PARTICKA/STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER)
Chief of Police Andrew Kerecman holds a blue envelope at the Throop Police Department headquarters in Throop on Friday, Jan. 09, 2026. In case of a traffic stop, the envelope will signal to officers that the driver is on the Autism spectrum. (REBECCA PARTICKA/STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER)
The document that goes in the blue envelope sits on a desk at the Throop Police Department headquarters in Throop on Friday, Jan. 09, 2026. (REBECCA PARTICKA/STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER)
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Chief of Police Andrew Kerecman holds a blue envelope at the Throop Police Department headquarters in Throop on Friday, Jan. 09, 2026. In case of a traffic stop, the envelope will signal to officers that the driver is on the Autism spectrum. (REBECCA PARTICKA/STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER)
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Supporting community
This isn’t the first time Kerecman was willing to think “outside the box” to benefit residents.
An officer came back from a Florida vacation last year with a suggestion for the department: creation of a “safe place” in its parking lot equipped with cameras, for in-person meetings for online purchases.
Kerecman approved the creation of the safe space, and now he says people use it several times a day, both for the completion of transactions initiated online and for child custody exchanges.
“The Throop Police Department welcomes citizens to use the police station parking lot, clearly marked as a location to conduct private transactions or custody exchanges,” the department posted on its website.
“Members of the police department will not assist in the transaction to include obtaining identification from the buyer or seller, checking serial numbers on items involved in the transaction, or negotiating methods of payment.”