Muscogee Co. Sheriff’s Office raises awareness of locator bracelets for Autism Awareness Month

COLUMBUS, Ga. (WTVM) - It’s Autism Awareness Month, and this year, Muscogee County Sheriff Greg Countryman is going all out. You may have noticed deputies wearing blue badges in support of the disability recently.

Those on the spectrum experience challenges with social skills and nonverbal communication. The disorder impacts how someone thinks, learns and solves problems.

According to the CDC, one in 44 children across the nation suffers from this neurological and developmental disorder.

Recognizing its impact locally, the Muscogee County Sheriff’s Office participates in several programs such as Project Lifesaver.

The initiative helps local authorities find those with cognitive conditions within 30 minutes.

“We have project lifesaver bands, which comes with a tracking device. It comes with a couple bands in there, so you can replace them if one gets broken,” said Muscogee County Sheriff’s Deputy Denise Brown.

The bands are given to people with cognitive conditions and are very beneficial in tracking individuals who tend to wander off.

You can also fill out a care card at the Sheriff’s Office to inform law enforcement if you or a loved one suffer from non-verbal or other conditions.

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