Bancroft Begins Sensitivity Training for Police in Camden County

During a recent incident at a movie theater in South Jersey, patrons were caught off guard by a man they believed was causing a disturbance. They alerted police, who responded to the scene.

As it turned out, that adult was diagnosed with autism.

One in 41 children is diagnosed with Autism in New Jersey, with a 110 percent increase over the last 10 years, according to Rutgers University, and many people can be confused because of the wide-range of behavioral differences exhibited by those who are diagnosed. Even police officers can be confused when responding to situations.

A new training program designed by Bancroft aims to train police officer in techniques to de-escalate situations involving individuals with Autism.

The program launches with the training of more than 200 Camden County Police Officers in April, which is Autism Awareness Month, officials announced this week.

“When police are called in to help with a situation that involves a child or adult who has autism or related disability, we find that the level of understanding of the diagnosis and associated behaviors make a big difference on how the situation is addressed and the chances of de-escalation exponentially rise,” Bancroft President and CEO Toni Pergolin said.

Bancroft developed the training with a focus on identifying specific behaviors that will help identify individuals who may have an intellectual or developmental disability as opposed to those who may be under the influence of drugs or alcohol or suffer from mental illness.

“Knowing the statistics, I believe it is critical for our police department to have this invaluable training from Bancroft in order to properly recognize and de-escalate any situation that may arise from this diagnosis,” Camden County Freeholder Carmen Rodriguez said. “Police officers being more cognizant of the challenges associated with Autism is another priceless tool that will always be useful on or off-duty.”

“Our first responders carry a heavy burden every time they answer the call for help. This new training will equip them with the information and understanding they need to better aid those with autism and other developmental disabilities in a crisis. And when seconds count, this type of training can have a significant impact for everyone involved,” U.S. Rep. Donald Norcross (D-1) said.

Bancroft, the largest nonprofit organization in New Jersey to serve children and adults with autism and developmental and intellectual disabilities, will provide training to police in communities in which Bancroft is located over the next year.

Training will take place in a total of 15 communities in New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Delaware. Bancroft has over 200 group homes throughout the region.

“Part of our mission is to continue to develop programs that help the individuals we serve live more fulfilling lives and integrate into their communities. This program helps others understand some of the complexities of living with a developmental or intellectual disability and how we as a society can help them,” Pergolin said.

Training will also be available through Community Solutions at Bancroft for private entities such as movie theaters, restaurants, and recreation/entertainment sites to offer sensitivity training.

Contact Bancroft at 856-348-4013 or consult@bancroft.org for information on training.