Westfield Police Department To Host Autism Family Day

WESTFIELD, NJ – Westfield's Finest, Bravest and EMS are combining as part of the Town’s recognition of Autism Awareness Month by hosting an Autism family day event on Saturday, April 27.

According to Westfield Police Chief Christopher Battiloro the program will run from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. and the Westfield Police will provide an open house format for residents on the autism spectrum and their families.

Emergency vehicles will be on display, and attendees will have the opportunity to enjoy light refreshments and interact with officers in an informal, approachable environment.

“One of our ongoing priorities in the department is inclusivity, and hosting this event is one way for us to invite members of the autism spectrum community to see our resources and speak with officers so that we can better understand their needs,” said Battiloro. “We’re looking forward to a great event that helps us to perform our duties even better for these residents and their families.”

Battiloro recently required every sworn officer of the department to undergo autism awareness training through POAC Autism Services, a non-profit organization that provides a variety of services for children on the autism spectrum throughout New Jersey.

According to their website, POAC offers a multitude of training opportunities throughout the state of New Jersey. They are run in locations throughout the state during the week and on weekends in an effort to meet the varied scheduling requirements of anyone involved with teaching and caring for those with autism. All workshops have applications for a variety of developmental disabilities across varied environments. POAC's workshops are available to parents, teachers, paraprofessionals, direct services providers, and administrators. All workshops require registration and are almost always offered with no fee to participants.

In addition, Westfield PBA Local #90/90A recently raised more than $800 through its Autism Awareness t-shirt sale to benefit POAC.

The April 27 event at the Police Station will be held rain or shine.

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