WILMINGTON — The Delaware Department of Health and Social Services’ Division for the Visually Impaired (DVI) partnered with the Wilmington Police Department to provide visual impairment sensitivity training to 60 officers on May 6 and 13 at police headquarters.
The training was led by DVI-certified orientation and mobility therapist Heather Dougherty, with support from therapists Madison Hansucker and Briana Harriston. The goal was to help officers better understand and safely interact with individuals who are blind or visually impaired.
The program was first developed in 2017 after a mother of a visually impaired teenager raised concerns about how her son might be perceived during encounters with law enforcement. Her concerns centered on the fact that visual impairments are not always apparent and that individuals may respond differently to verbal or visual cues.
The training, created by Dougherty and Maria Lepore-Stevens, focuses on the difference between visual impairment and legal blindness and highlights common challenges faced by people with vision loss.
Officers participated in hands-on exercises, including navigating the police station while blindfolded using a white cane and working with a sighted guide. Officers also heard directly from individuals with visual impairments who shared personal experiences and answered questions.
“This is great for building community relationships, improving awareness and increasing meaningful sensitivity to vision loss,” Dougherty said. “It also increases engagement with the officers and the public interactions.”
“This interactive training helps to provide our police officers with invaluable lessons and experiences around how to support those with blindness and visual impairments in our community,” Wilmington Police Chief Wilfredo Campos said. “We thank the Delaware Division for the Visually Impaired for once again offering this training and appreciate the continued partnership between our agencies.”
DVI is a division of the Delaware Department of Health and Social Services. For information about DVI services, eligibility requirements or training opportunities, call 302-255-9800 or visit the DVI website.