Edmonton police adding braille to cop ID cards

The Edmonton Police Service is making it easier for those visually impaired to identify an officer. (Courtesy: EPS)

EDMONTON — The Edmonton Police Service is making it easier for those visually impaired to identify an officer.

EPS members will add a sticker reading “police” in braille to their warrant cards, the service announced Wednesday.

“Police officers can be easily identified in uniform or by their badges when in plain clothes, but we needed another way to be recognized when we were interacting with persons who have vision loss,” said EPS Det. Rae Gerrard.

“It is not uncommon for persons with vision loss to ask to feel police badges to verify they are legitimate, so the addition of braille helps to quickly identify police officers and build trust,” he added.

The new braille sticker was developed with consultation of the Canadian National Institute for the Blind (CNIB) and the sight loss community.

An estimated 1.5 million Canadians live with vision loss, according to the CNIB.

“CNIB applauds the Edmonton Police Service for taking this step towards increased accessibility and inclusion,” said Marc Workman, manager of operations for western Canada, CNIB Foundation.