Cranston Police to Get Specialized Autism Recognition Training

A good police department has to constantly adapt to changing trends, whether it’s advancements in technology, or changing community demographics.

In Cranston, this means adapting to an increase in the number of people diagnosed with autism and autism spectrum disorder. It affects more than three million people in the United States and 1 in 68 children is on the autism spectrum, according to the U.S. Center for Disease Control and Prevention.

Standard training for officers on how to react to high-pressure situations might not be effective when the suspect or a witness has autism.

The Cranston Police Department is about to undergo training to help officers respond appropriately in to situations involving a person with autism and autism spectrum disorder.

This specialized training is being instructed by Officer Jason Head of the Newport Police Department. All officers will attend the training which will provide them with the ability to recognize symptoms of autism and autism spectrum disorder to ensure they are prepared to respond to situations including emergencies involving children or adults with the disorder.

“I want to publicly thank Officer Head of the Newport Police Department for providing this invaluable training that will ensure our officers are best equipped to handle this unique mental disability,” said Cranston Police Chief Col. Michael J. Winquist. “Persons with autism are estimated to have up to seven times more contacts with law enforcement agencies during their lifetimes, yet only 20 percent of patrol responses related to autistic individuals involve criminal activity. By providing our officers with basic information about how to best approach and communicate with someone with autism, whether it is an emergency or non-emergency situation, we will be able to prevent behavioral escalation and resolve a situation easily.”