At a community event April 2, the Warren Police Department announced a partnership with the SAVES Project, a nonprofit founded in 2025 that specializes in autism education for first responders. Officials said the goal of the nonprofit is to foster empathy and improve communication between law enforcement and vulnerable community members.
By: Brian Wells | Warren Weekly | Published April 5, 2026
WARREN — The Warren Police Department is giving people access to more resources aimed at improving support for vulnerable persons.
At a community event April 2, the department announced a partnership with the SAVES Project, a nonprofit founded in 2025 that specializes in autism education for first responders. Officials said the goal of the nonprofit is to foster empathy and improve communication between law enforcement and vulnerable community members.
“By making the SAVES Project’s resources readily available, we are taking a significant step to ensure that interactions with our most vulnerable community members are handled with the highest level of understanding and care,” Warren Police Commissioner Eric Hawkins said in a statement.
The SAVES Project registry is a confidential tool that includes communication preferences, triggers, calming strategies, medical considerations and emergency contacts for vulnerable people. The information can be accessed by first responders only during relevant calls for service to ensure the safety of all involved.
According to a press release from the department, a main feature of the initiative is the Blue Envelope Program, which utilizes specialized envelopes to hold a driver’s identification and registration. The envelopes offer practical guidance to officers while also helping to reduce stress for individuals during traffic stops or vehicle encounters.
The envelopes are being offered to the public free of charge. According to the release, the department utilized grants and other funding to obtain a “significant supply” of the envelopes.
Additionally, the project offers identification cards to help emergency personnel identify nonverbal persons easily and safely.
Police officers on every shift are receiving specialized training about how to recognize vulnerable persons and facilitate the registration process for the SAVES Project, the release states.
Warren Police Lt. John Gajewski said the initiative represents the department’s commitment to community-oriented policing.
“For too long, a gap has existed between law enforcement and individuals with autism or other cognitive impairments,” he said. “By partnering with the SAVES project, we finally have the opportunity to bridge it.”
Gajewski added that the department has already received positive feedback.
“Given the positive feedback we’ve seen so far, it is clear the community values this resource,” he said. “Better information leads to deeper understanding, which ultimately ensures safer, more productive interactions between officers and the public.”
Caregivers and family members of any vulnerable person are encouraged to visit the lobby of the Warren Police Department to pick up a blue envelope and receive more information about the SAVES Project.
The registry is free and confidential, Gajewski said.