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Welcome to Peacekeepers: a new broadcasts series hosted by Tioga County Sheriff Frank Levindoski. In this inaugural episode Sheriff Levindoski introduces and explains the adoption and implementation of a new program in our region: the Blue Envelope Program.

The Blue Envelope Program is an initiative designed to help drivers with special needs or communication challenges by removing any perception of defiance of law enforcement and communicate their needs to on duty officers.

The program provides drivers with a specially designed blue envelope (for them to keep their insurance, registration and other pertinent information) that designates their needs on the outside. This method of communication could be especially helpful for drivers on the autism spectrum, have dementia symptoms, severe anxiety or other communication challenges.

“We need to get this out there for law enforcement – to have the awareness, to have the training – and it starts from the top, down,” said Sheriff Levindoski. “It’s gotta start with the leaders. We’ve gotta talk about these issues and we’ve gotta have better training so we don’t escalate the use of force…or erode public trust. We don’t want to lose that.”