A specially designed Lowell Police logo meant to raise awareness and acceptance of those with Autism Spectrum Disorders on the side of a new Lowell Police Traffic Enforcement Cruiser. (Courtesy Lowell Police Department) The Lowell Police Department’s new autism awareness cruiser. (Courtesy Lowell Police Department) A closeup of the side of the new autism awareness cruiser. (Courtesy Lowell Police Department) From left, Traffic Bureau Administrative Assistant Kerri Davey, Fleet Manager Kyriakoulis Tsouprakos, Traffic Reconstruction Officer Michael Camara, Traffic Unit Officer John Spinney, Acting Superintendent Barry Golner, and Deputy Superintendent Mark LeBlanc stand with the department’s new autism awareness cruiser. (Courtesy Lowell Police Department)
LOWELL — Acting Lowell Police Superintendent Barry Golner is pleased to share that the Lowell Police Department added an autism awareness cruiser to its fleet of traffic enforcement vehicles.
The new cruiser was prepared in-house by Fleet Manager Kyriakoulis Tsouprakos, who placed decals from an outside vendor on an existing cruiser.
The cruiser was prepared using funds from the Sustained Traffic Enforcement Program (STEP), which uses funds received from motor vehicle enforcement to increase the visibility of traffic safety patrols and reduce crashes and dangerous driving by reminding drivers that police are on patrol.
In addition to being used for high-visibility traffic enforcement patrols, the autism awareness cruiser will also be sent to local parades and community events.
Lowell Police have long worked to raise awareness of Autism Spectrum Disorders, and have recognized World Autism Acceptance Day each year on April 2 since 2017.
It was in 2017 that former Lowell resident Cyndy Muchine, now of Littleton, reached out to Lowell Police and asked the department to help “light it up blue” in honor of World Autism Acceptance Day.
Each year since then Lowell Police have had officers activate their cruisers’ blue lights on April 2 to help raise awareness of Autism Spectrum Disorders. A similar recognition was held this year as well.