Jonesboro, AR – Jonesboro Right Now – Emerson Ambulance Service presented the Jonesboro Police Department (JPD) with sensory bags on Wednesday that aim to help officers as they assist neurodivergent individuals when responding to calls.
The bags contain fidget toys, nontoxic glowsticks, squish toys, beanbags, and more. They will be used wherever the department needs them, with the idea they will be kept in officers’ cars. Bags will be used for both kids and adults.
“We’ve actually noticed a rise in our interactions with people with sensory issues or autism, other issues like that. It’s more we want to be able to connect with them and make them more comfortable,” said Eric White, EMT and public relations administrator with Emerson Ambulance Service.
“Even just having something in their hands fiddling with it makes it to where they’re more calm and knowing that the [police] goes on a majority of the runs with us, it’s good to have them in the loop with us and give them the opportunity to have those items as well,” he added.
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The sensory bags are just one of several recent steps JPD has taken to better respond to people with autism or other sensory differences.
In May, the department, along with other community partners and law enforcement agencies, participated in training for the Blue Envelope Program, a program created by the Arkansas Legislature in 2025 that provides neurodivergent drivers a way to identify themselves to law enforcement and communicate their needs quickly.
White said these bags will only add to JPD’s toolkit to better respond to neurodivergent people and meet their needs.
“It’s more now than it was 10 years ago. We’ve got more sensory people, a lot more anxiety,” he said. “It’s good to have these items for that, to be able to help people focus and slow the world down whenever it comes to that.”
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