Hi everyone.
This is very, very near and dear to my heart. I have two special needs boys. One of them is more "passable" as neurotypical than the other. The other boy has some cognitive delays and because of that, he often has problems with communication, being socially appropriate, and understanding and responding accurately to questions. Many, many times the police deal with special needs people, and it often turns out bad, even deadly. The only saving grace my son has is that he is white.
Every day people with autism or other intellectual disabilities interact with the police, and special needs advocacy groups are calling for better training of police officers. Black moms NEED this for their kids. If you are looking at policing reforms, I would recommend they follow the guidelines and training developed for interaction with special needs people because it's so much more humane and it results in de-escalation.
Pushing initiatives like special needs training in police departments that can save someone's life. I encourage all of you to not just talk about de-funding police, but also to push for what we want in it's place.
For people who want to know more about SN police training:
SN Black Parents perspective:
And just for good measure:
This is very, very near and dear to my heart. I have two special needs boys. One of them is more "passable" as neurotypical than the other. The other boy has some cognitive delays and because of that, he often has problems with communication, being socially appropriate, and understanding and responding accurately to questions. Many, many times the police deal with special needs people, and it often turns out bad, even deadly. The only saving grace my son has is that he is white.
Every day people with autism or other intellectual disabilities interact with the police, and special needs advocacy groups are calling for better training of police officers. Black moms NEED this for their kids. If you are looking at policing reforms, I would recommend they follow the guidelines and training developed for interaction with special needs people because it's so much more humane and it results in de-escalation.
Pushing initiatives like special needs training in police departments that can save someone's life. I encourage all of you to not just talk about de-funding police, but also to push for what we want in it's place.
For people who want to know more about SN police training:
How One Mother's Battle Is Changing Police Training On Disabilities
Patti Saylor's son, Ethan, died after an encounter with law enforcement when he was 26. She believes the incident could have been prevented with better training.
www.npr.org
SN Black Parents perspective:
For Parents Of Young Black Men With Autism, Extra Fear About Police
People with autism often have trouble communicating with police, which can be dangerous — and scary for parents who also worry about racial profiling. Now, some cities are trying to mitigate the risk.
www.npr.org
And just for good measure: