Local News

A local police department is becoming ‘sensory-friendly.’ Here’s what that means.

Tewksbury Police Ryan Chief Columbus said he is "grateful" for the opportunity to better serve the community.

Sensory bags, which contain headphones, fidget objects, and a communication card for those with speech challenges, will be in all Tewksbury police cars. Lane Turner/Globe Staff

By Eva Levin

October 9, 2024

1 minute to read

The Tewksbury Police Department is becoming “sensory-friendly” to better serve people with “invisible disabilities” like autism and PTSD, the department said in a statement on Wednesday.

Tewksbury police said they are partnering with nonprofit KultureCity. The Alabama-based organization trains law enforcement officers in sensory-friendly response tactics and provide kits to help those with sensory vulnerabilities, the statement said. KultureCity has trained more than 275 law enforcement agencies in its 10 year history, police said.

“Whether a First Responder has training in how to approach someone with invisible disabilities can make a vital difference at crucial times,” the KultureCity website said.

According to Census data, more than 250 million people in the US have some sort of sensory disability. Sensory-friendly training can help police treat people who have suffered from a stroke or have Parkinson’s disease, the statement said.

According to KultureCity’s 2023 Impact Report, the organization helped law enforcement save 48 lives through sensory kits and training.

“Our training with KultureCity will help all of our officers communicate more effectively in situations involving people on the autism spectrum, with PTSD, or a host of other invisible disabilities,” Tewksbury Police Ryan Chief Columbus said. “We are grateful for this chance to learn and to improve our ability to respond to those in our community.”

Sensory-friendly kits

KultureCity will provide sensory kits to the department and train every officer in using them, the statement said.

Inside the kits are various tools “intended to help bridge the communication gap in an emergency,” the statement said. One of those tools is a “feelings thermometer,” which can help a person communicate their emotions without having to speak, police said. In addition, police said, the kits will have various fidget toys to help people calm down in stressful situations.

On KultureCity’s website, they said kits contain items like noise-canceling headphones, strobe reduction glasses, and a weighted lap pad.

The training will take place over the next several months, the statement said.