Shelby County Sheriff's Department says AWARE Program will help first responders

A program will provide needed information right at the start of an incident for first responders in Shelby County.

Shelby County Sheriff Louie Koch has announced that his office has partnered with the Avon Police Department, Central Indiana Police Foundation, the Shelbyville Police Department, the Shelbyville Fire Department, and several other first responder agencies across the state to be part of the AWARE Program.  

AWARE was created in 2021 by the Avon, Indiana Police Department as a way to alert first responders that they may be entering into a situation involving a person with a cognitive disability or other medical-related impairment, which may cause the person to struggle to comprehend, communicate, or comply with requests of the first responders.  

Far too often, first responders find themselves in situations where they encounter a person who is in the midst of an unknown crisis and is unable to comply with requests from the first responders.  When someone is unable to comply with lawful requests, the person can appear to be uncooperative or defiant, which can lead to unnecessary physical altercations or restraint of the individual, possibly resulting in injury or arrest.  In the release about the AWARE program, it's noted the Shelby County Sheriff's Department does whatever it can to preserve lives, to prevent unnecessary injury to citizens and officers, and to treat individuals with cognitive disabilities not as criminals, but as persons who may not be in complete control of their thoughts and actions through no fault of their own.

The AWARE program provides individuals with cognitive disabilities and their caretakers with a readily identifiable 4” sticker that can be placed on vehicles and residences to serve as an indicator that first responders are likely to interact with an individual who has a cognitive disorder.  In order to obtain the stickers, a medical professional referral form must be completed and on file with the participating agency.  The program is intended to provide peace of mind to the caregivers of an individual with a cognitive disorder and will help to foster a more informed and intentional effort when engaging with their loved ones.  

Examples of qualifying cognitive disorders include, but are not limited to:

Seizures
Bipolar Disorder
Intellectual/Developmental Disabilities
Dementia
Diabetes w/ high risk of hypoglycemia
Autism
Down Syndrome
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder
Schizophrenia
Traumatic Brain Injury

The Shelby County Sheriff's Department is dedicated to improving response in situations involving mental health crises and individuals with cognitive disabilities.  In February 2024, local law enforcement held its first Crisis Intervention Team 40-hour training class, providing in depth instruction on various types of mental illness, cognitive disorders, and drug-induced cognitive impairment, as well as scenario-based training.  The department notes that it's committed to training deputies, corrections officers, and dispatchers to be part of our Crisis Intervention Team for a better trained, better educated response from the moment a person calls 911. 

Sheriff Koch would like to encourage any citizen of Shelby County who may qualify for the AWARE program, or may know someone who might qualify, to check out the AWARE website at www.awareprogram.info for additional information.  Links to the medical professionals referral form in both English and Spanish can be found at the bottom of the AWARE page in the section labeled Ready to Join, or by reaching out to the Crisis Intervention Team Coordinator at cit@co.shelby.in.us, or by calling 317-318-6661 and request to speak to someone about the AWARE Program.  Once the referral form is completed by a medical professional, simply return the form to the Shelby County Sheriff Department to receive your stickers.

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