Dear Mr. Farmer,
We are writing in response to your article “Law enforcement’s efforts at greater autism awareness.” Thank you for sharing your perspective about how law enforcement professionals can better understand and support the needs of people with autism, through initiatives such as the BeSafe program. Sadly, we often see tragic stories in the media about incidents between individuals with autism and police officers. This article raised awareness about the need for more training programs aimed at teaching police officers how to better recognize autism, and equipping them with the skills to respond appropriately and intervene safely and effectively.
Our goal at the Association for Science in Autism Treatment (ASAT) is to share information about autism and its treatment. The more information police officers have, the better their assessment skills will be in situations in which they must interact with an individual on the autism spectrum. We encourage the addition of information about autism, including identification and the use of safe and appropriate de-escalation strategies, into all training programs for law enforcement. Currently, this type of training for police isn’t required by law. However, adopting such training will likely benefit law enforcement professionals, individuals with autism, and society as a whole. Encouraging police officers to meet individuals with autism and hear their perspectives will help officers learn more about the different ways that people with autism think, feel, behave, and react in different situations.
Your readers may be interested in the following resources that are freely available on the our website:
- First Responders Education in Autism
- Review of Identification, Evaluation, and Management of Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder
- Bolting and Neighborhood Safety
- Big Red Safety Tool Kit
- Teaching Safety Skills to Adolescents
Again, we commend you for raising awareness about this important topic. The inclusion of information about autism in law enforcement training is another step in the right direction toward preventing undo harm or tragedy to individuals on the spectrum. We encourage anyone who wants to learn more about autism to visit our website!
Sincerely,
Carolina Arguello, BA
Elizabeth Callahan, MA, BCBA
The Association for Science in Autism Treatment
