Hello everyone. I diverted from my options of topics and decided
to post a little something to my brothers and sisters in Law Enforcement.
That's right, I'm a cop and my son is Autistic. There are approximately 313.9
million people in the United States. Of those approximately two million people
in the United States suffer with Autism. One in every 68 children will be
diagnosed with Autism. Did you know a person with Autism is seven times more
likely to come into contact with Law Enforcement? Did you know that almost 50%
of those on the spectrum are non verbal? Would you know the signs? I want to
help you recognize, adapt, and overcome this encounter.
How would you come into contact with an
Autistic person? Most common are missing person calls. Next could be what
appears to be a physical fight, or domestic disturbance, but is actually an action
called a meltdown. The call could reference a wondering person or strange adult
approaching children. You may even get a child abuse call. As any seasoned
officer will tell you, the possibilities are endless. What does an Autistic
individual looks like? That varies. They usually look like you or me, very
typical in appearance. So how do you determine an Autistic person from a
"normal" person? Use what you normally do, observe, listen, and
think. You should be able to figure out this is an atypical interaction pretty
quickly. Here are some helpful tips to help you along the way.
When you respond to any scene, look for
Autism ribbons or other indicators of autism. They could look like this:
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First let’s address physical mannerisms. Autistic individuals are
just that, individuals. No two people with Autism are the same. They have
different likes and dislikes, different aversions, and different cues. Here are
some of the most common signs that the person you may be dealing with is
Autistic.
- Obvious
Sensory Overload: At the
sight of your flashing lights, the sound of your siren, did the person cover
their ears and close their eyes? They may even fall to the ground in a fetal
position. This is a major clue. If it is safe, shut down this equipment. If you
cannot shut off your lights, due to traffic conditions, etc, minimize what you
can. They may even try to run from you, this will make your job the hardest at first.
- Echolalia: Echolalia is the meaningless
repetition of another's spoken word. Does the person repeat what you say or the
questions you ask? They are nervous. Slow down, speak clearly, take longer than
normal pauses between questions and try asking your questions in a different
format: Where do you live? vs. What is your address? vs. Where is your house?
- Spinning: The individual may start
spinning in circles. Sometimes they do this when they are crossing a threshold.
This is a calming mechanism.
- Body
Rocking: Just as it
sounds, are they rocking back and forth? This is also a coping mechanism.
- Hand
Flapping: The individuals
hands will flap at the wrist, almost like their hands are trying to fly. Again,
another coping mechanism.
- Spacing
Out: Do they appear to be
in another world all together?
- What
is in their hands? Are
they walking around with a chewy tube, a rain stick, a small stuffed toy,
stress ball, or something you cannot identify? If you observe one or more of
the above behaviors, or something you may not expect, they maybe Autistic, do
not be alarmed if they do not hand over what they are holding. Ask them if you
can see it. They may hand it over immediately; they may pull it away and try to
hide it. Don't be alarmed, just watch them and start talking about something
else. DO NOT TRY TO FORCEFULLY TAKE IT! If
they willingly hand the item over, hand it back quickly, this is their security
blanket and if you keep it you will bring on a meltdown, you do not want that. If they do not hand it over initially bring up TV shows, action heroes, etc. After you build a rapport with them try
asking for the item again.
What the heck is a chewy tube? It’s a tube
or item made of a resilient material for chewing, this can be a calming habit
or a practice tool. Chewy tubes come in many shapes and sizes, but are always
manipulated with one hand and are always brightly colored. These are examples
of a chewy tube:
What is a rain stick? It’s a musical
instrument. The one you will probably see is a plastic tube with beads or small
plastic balls inside that bounce off platforms. This tube will emanate a sound
that likens rain. This is an example of a rain stick:
Special considerations for missing
persons:
1- Check the house. This is a no brainer
for us, since we know most missing people are still in the house when the call
goes out. Autistic individuals have hiding places they love to use.
2- Ask the caller or complainant for a
piece of clothing. This could be useful for a K9 track if necessary. Do not
rely on a starting point, since the parent or caregiver has been all over the
house looking for the person.
3- Check bodies of water in the area.
Pools, lakes, ponds, streams and rivers, any body of water no matter how
ridiculous. According to the National Autism Association drowning is the
leading cause of death among Autistic individuals. They further add to this
statistic by stating in 2009, 2010, and 2011 accidental drowning accounted for
approximately 91% of deaths reported in children with Autism Spectrum Disorder
from the ages of 14 to younger, subsequent to wandering or eloping events.
4- What are common places they like to go?
School, grandma's house, playgrounds, etc. check them or ask someone to check
them.
5- Autistic individuals thrive on routine,
so what are common ways they get to the places they typically go? By bus, taxi,
or train, how would they attempt to get there?
Calls for Service:
At first someone with Autism may appear to
be high on drugs or be mentally ill, give it a minute before jumping to these
conclusions. Ask some questions. If their parent or caregiver is there listen
to them for clues and guidance in this situation. If not, let your training and
experience tell you if this is a different kind of interaction. Do not be
alarmed, if you suspect Autism, and the individual reaches for you or your
badge. Autistic people are attracted to shiny objects. Anything on your duty
belt that reflects light could catch their attention. They have no concept of
personal space. These individuals will not hurt you, they are simply curious.
If you do not want them to touch you, be gentle. Say no, no and redirect their
attention to something else. They may grab a hold of you and not want to let
go, offer them your non gun side. I am right handed, so I would offer them my
left hand. Take this action as a compliment, they trust you. Conversely some
may shove away from you. Each one is individual, try to let them initiate
physical contact. Typically Autistic individuals will carry cards in their
wallets that explain Autism. It’s scary when someone reaches behind their back
to retrieve their wallet, we see it often. Take control, but if you suspect
Autism, do so gently. An Autism card the individual may carry in their wallet
could look something like this:
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What if they aren't reacting to you? How do you get through to
them? Bring up different topics. Offer them something they seem to like, as
long as it is safe. Try a business card or a stuffed animal you may keep in
your car for calls involving children. Stickers or coloring books are great,
inexpensive items to have on hand. Keep different kinds of topics like
superheroes, my little pony, transformers, cars, anything kids like in your
patrol car or paper box. You will get a strong response when you hit a topic
they like. If you are lucky they will give you a verbal response.
A helpful tool for you would be something
small and very easy to keep in your paper box under a folder marked Autism. It’s
a sheet of paper with the alphabet written or printed on it. Nonverbal does not
always mean unable to communicate. They may be able to point at letters and
spell words to you. Another tool is something as simple as Velcro strip on a
piece of cardboard. Keep baggies of recognizable pictures, different facial
expressions, places, foods, etc. with Velcro on the back. You can then ask: How
do you feel? Let them pick a face and put it on the board. Both of these are
cheap to make and could save you if you come across a non verbal individual.
Let’s say the interaction goes sideways
and you end up with a meltdown, what do you do? First, what is a meltdown? A
meltdown is like a seizure. It will not stop until it has run its course. Meltdowns look a lot like temper tantrums. It
will last a couple of minutes, but it could be violent in nature. This is an
example of a meltdown: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w_23z9yJAq0
In the video you see them restraining him, giving him water while he is laying
down, etc. I highly recommend you do
not give water to anyone lying
on their back. If you can avoid restraining them, please do. Clear the area of
things that can hurt them, try to eliminate loud noises or bright lights in the
environment, and let them work it out. I will talk about the right way to
restrain an Autistic individual in a few moments. If there is one thing you
should remember, during a meltdown, they do not know what they are doing. They
do not if know they hit you, do not take it personally if they do.
If you must engage an individual in a
meltdown, due to safety concerns, call for paramedics. One in three individuals
with Autism also has Epilepsy. Keep that in mind when you go hands on. You are
not a medical professional in any way, if the individual is hurt you may not
know it. Articulate you believe you have an Autistic individual and they
maybe enduring an Autistic meltdown. Ask for a back up officer, depending on
size, two is always better than one, and ask for a supervisor. It is easy for
them to hurt themselves or inadvertently hurt you during a meltdown. There is
no intent to hurt you, I cannot stress that enough. Do not taser, pepper spray, or baton under
any circumstance. You have one chance to make a positive impression on an Autistic
individual; hurting them will cause a negative interaction with the next
officer.
How to restrain: Remember Autistic individuals naturally
have weak core muscles! You can cause them to go into respiratory distress by
placing weight on their stomach and chest area. First, stay calm, look for
a softer area to perform the restraint, grass is always better than concrete.
Try to guide them to this area as best you can. Second, you must take all the
weight of your own body. You will act as a type of blocker. If they are facing
you, try to gently guide them to the ground, put your stomach on their pelvic
area, and hold their wrists by their ears, their elbows bent. Do not lay your
body weight on their stomach or chest area. You will probably be partially on
your knees. If the individual is taller than you this will be too difficult to
properly perform. Instead straddle their chest area, with your knees on the ground;
again do not drop your weight on their chest. Instead hover closely over their
body. Firmly hold their wrists by their ears, elbows bent. They will flail
their legs; you are only one person and can only do so much. Instruct the next
officer to hold their legs at the ankles. Keep in communication with your
partner. Consider eliminating sensory input, lights on the patrol cars, sirens,
etc. Do not allow anyone to drop onto their stomach area. This will be a fight,
you will struggle and you will sweat. Talk to the individual calmly, please do
not yell. If you can try quietly singing a recognizable children's song. Ask
them silly questions like "Are you Santa Claus?" or "Is the sky
green?" Assure them you're here to help and that you care. After they calm
down, get off them and sit them up. Ask them if they are alright, let
paramedics look them over. Here is a great reference for restraining the
individual face down. Three individuals are necessary for this. This is called
the BARR technique and is used in hospital settings:
Here is another suggestion for face down
restraint with two individuals:
Here is a figure for safe take down and
restraint in a one on one setting:
If a crowd gathers make the following statement: "This
individual is Autistic and is enduring a meltdown. For their safety I am
properly restraining them. If any of you know this person please identify
yourself, if you do not, please take a few steps back." If you receive
heckling ask if there is a nurse, doctor, or psychiatric specialist in the
group. Ask if anyone else is willing to help.
The Autism Society of Greater Orlando is
one of the agencies that frequently holds Law Enforcement Officer training courses.
I have attended this training and it was amazing. Here is an example of such a
course: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mg3tEkps268
If you are interested in ASGO's course
please contact them through their website: http://www.asgo.org/
Other helpful resources for Autism and Law
enforcement:
Good luck and stay safe! If you have any
questions please free to ask by commenting below or on our Facebook page.
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