Devon & Cornwall Police Trial New Wristbands to Support Neurodivergent People in Emergencies

Green bands with powerful potential to transform emergency response for neurodivergent people

Devon & Cornwall Police have launched a new pilot in Cornwall that could change how emergency services respond to people living with neurodiversity.

The trial introduces green wristbands, called ‘neurodiversity IDs’ (NDIDs), which are designed to help police and other emergency responders communicate more effectively with neurodivergent individuals during incidents.

Designed with the community

The wristbands have been created in collaboration with the Autistic Community of Cornwall, the National Police Autism Association, the National Youth Neurodiversity Council, and Devon & Cornwall Police.

Each band contains a nearfield communication (NFC) chip. When scanned by first responders, caregivers or members of the community, the NDID provides essential information about the wearer. This includes how they communicate best, any medical needs they might have, details of their neurodivergence, and emergency contact information for their next of kin.

Better support from the start

“We know that emergency situations can sometimes be overwhelming,” said PC John Holland, who worked on the trial with PC Dudley Rowe.

“The wristbands are about putting the person at the centre of our response so we can make sure our communication and care is appropriate from the very first moment.

“The information that they provide will give us the tools we need to make sure our officers handle incidents in the most effective way possible.”

John added, “We know that we haven’t always got it right in the past, but these wristbands offer an opportunity for us to continue to progress and improve the service we provide to our neurodiverse community.”

What happens next?

The wristbands used in the pilot have been sourced from Seritag. The scheme is currently being tested in Cornwall, with pilot leads working closely with local policing teams and partners to identify people who can take part.

If the trial proves successful, Devon & Cornwall Police hope to roll the programme out across the whole force area.