For several years, the New Paltz Police Department had Autism Awareness stickers on their police vehicles to remind people of autism spectrum disorders. Now, they're offering stickers to community members to help avoid potentially tense situations.

Stickers that read "Occupant with Autism" are available to the public. They can be placed on a vehicle or house to inform police officers that someone inside may be on the autism spectrum. 

In interactions with law enforcement, people with autism can react in ways that may suggest non-compliance. 

The creator of this intiative, New Paltz Police Officer Philipp Kraus, says that he hopes this will make police interactions smoother and safer for everyone. 

"Our job is to try and keep everybody safe, and this is one way that we can do that," he said, "beause it gives us the knowledge of who we're interacting with, so we can keep them safe and keep us safe."

Those who wish to participate in the program can visit the New Paltz Police Department to get a sticker.