RBPF Officers Introduced to the Sunflower Lanyard Program

NASSAU, The Bahamas --The Minister of National Security the Hon. Wayne Munroe told Royal Bahamas Police Force (RBPF) Officers that not every disability can be seen, not every struggle is obvious and not every behaviour should be judged at face value.

"A person may hesitate not because they are resisting you but because they are processing what is happening," the National Security Minister said during the Opening Ceremony of the Autism Awareness Training that introduced the Officers to the Sunflower Lanyard Program held at the Paul Farquharson Conference Centre on Monday, April 27, 2026.

He added, "They withdraw not as a sign of guilt but because they simply feel overwhelmed. They might act differently not because they are a threat to you but because what they are experiencing is different from what you experience and that difference may very well require a different response."

The Minister explained that this is where this training will become most powerful.

He said, "Remember knowledge is power. Knowledge replaces assumption. Understanding replaces knee jerk reactions and preparation prevents escalation.

"The Sunflower Lanyard Program is a brilliant example of this. A simple yet visible cue carries a profound message and that message is this person may need patience, understanding or support."

The National Security Minister said for officers on the front line, awareness can be the difference between conflict and calm.

He also noted that this is not about lowering the standards of the officers. "This is about raising them. It is about building a police service that is not only effective but adaptive; not only strong but thoughtful; not only responsive but also aware."

The Minister said it is no secret that modern policing requires more than authority. "It requires emotional intelligence, communication and restraint. It requires officers who can pause before reacting, who can assess before escalating and who can see beyond the surface.

"When that happens, you would not just be protecting communities, you would be building trust with them and that trust is the foundation of public safety."

The Sunflower Lanyard is a discreet way for individuals to indicate hidden disabilities. Officers learned to look for a green lanyard patterned with bright yellow sunflowers that will sometimes have attached a card that says "hidden disabilities".

They were told that autism is a different way of experiencing and interacting with the world. Individuals with autism may communicate, connect and process things that are unique to them.

These differences are not wrong - they are simply different.

(BIS Photos/Llonella Gilbert)