Summerville officers undergo autism crisis intervention training
SUMMERVILLE, S.C. (WCBD) – Summerville officers received special training Wednesday to learn how to interact with people on the autism spectrum during calls for service.
The South Carolina Department of Disabilities and Special Needs teamed up with the Summerville Police Department and the South Carolina Chapter of the National Alliance on Mental Illness to provide crisis intervention training focused on interacting with people on the autism spectrum.
Autism is a developmental disability that causes differences in the brain, but there are often no physical indicators that a person has autism, and symptoms and functionality can vary widely.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said people on the spectrum often have trouble with social communication and interaction, meaning Thursday’s autism-specific training for law enforcement could greatly benefit how they handle certain calls for service.
The training focused on signs, symptoms, resources, and de-escalation tips with the lessons using real-life scenarios as examples.
Officers said the classes offered many useful tips, with some even recalling how they would handle previous calls for service differently.
Class leaders noted that the guidance on autism has changed greatly in the last 10 years. What may have been previously described as erratic or odd behavior, now has a diagnosis.
The autism director for the South Carolina Department of Disabilities and Special Needs says autism prevalence has increased by more than 300% since the year 2000. More knowledge of the disorder means that law enforcement will be better equipped to help community members with autism.
“The purpose of this training is really to give officers another perspective of what autism is, and what a behavior could be. So, when they arrive on scene, they might have assessed it one way but after this training, they can think to themselves well maybe that is autism, maybe they are not talking to me not because they are non-compliant, but because they physically can’t because they are on the autism spectrum,” said Stephanie Turner, DDSN Autism Director.
After Wednesday’s training, the officers received an autism pin that they are encouraged to wear on their uniform to show the community that they understand what autism is and that they are here to help.
