Recap of event on public safety needs of ASD individuals

On Tuesday, December 4, 2008 a group of Brookline organizations including the Coalition of Brookline Autism Parents (COBAP), Connecting Educators, Parents, and Students (CoPES) and the Brookline Police Department met to discuss The Public Safety Needs of Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Conversation Between the Brookline Police and the Community. This topic had been initiated a few years ago at a series of CoPES meetings. Ruth Arnold, coordinator of CoPES and a Speech and Language Pathologist at the Heath School, distributed a summary of the meeting on the CoPES mailing list, which we’ve reprinted here below the fold.

In attendance were District Attorney William Keating; Michael Jackman of ALEC (Autism and Law Enforcement Education Coalition); Captain John O’Leary, Detective Jen Canney, Officer Katie McDermott, and Officer Tim Stephenson from the Brookline Police Department; Lisel Macenka and parents from COBAP; and a significant turnout of parents, educators, and caregivers.

Background:

The community is aware of some of the challenges these individuals face including, but not limited to:

  • Sensory:
  • Uncomfortable when touched
  • Becomes over-stimulated when touched
  • Becomes anxious or agitated when there is too much noise/sounds (covers ears)
  • Intensity of Lights
  • Intensity of smells
  • May run away
  • Social/Emotional:
    • Confused by human emotions (facial expressions may not match tone of voice)
    • Has fears and obsessions
    • Is compulsive/rituals
    • Difficulty taking the perspective of another person/understanding point of view
    • more easily bullied/manipulated by peers to do something wrong (e.g.: shoplift)
  • Language:
    • Does not understand jokes, sarcasm, teasing and/or figurative language
      such as metaphors and similes.
    • Is literal/concrete
    • Does not understand non-verbal cues. (gaze: looks like not listening, body language, facial expression, gestures, body distance/proximity, volume, monotone)
    • Language is overly specific/professorial
    • Uses perseverative language to remain calm
    • May repeat/parrot what is said
    • Blurts out information
    • Does not recognize danger, may run away/bolt
    • May seem rude/stubborn/argumentative
    • Reduced social problem solving abilities
    • May not understand consequences for behavior
    • Challenges with recognizing authority figures
    • lack of understanding the need to be respectful to authority figures (police and other emergency personnel)
    • Does not know how to ask for help/give or as for help, asks “why”

    Agenda

    Parents and officers from the Brookline Police Department shared experiences including their child’s elopement, driving the parents’ car without permission, calls requesting help when children were out of control or violent, possible racial concerns, sexual activities, restraint, and chasing.

    Parents openly shared their experiences in an effort to inform officers about the challenges they face, and police officers candidly explained their approach when responding to call from parents or children, or when investigating situations where teenagers are congregating in inappropriate locations in the town.

    The police emphasized their need to have as much information as possible about these children and adults BEFORE responding to a call. In that spirit, Officer Katie McDermott has created the Brookline Police Department Autistic Person Info Sheet for parents and caregivers to describe their ASD child’s disability and needs. Participation is s entirely voluntary. The information will be used in the event that the police receive a call so that they can respond most effectively and safely. If a child/adult afflicted with ASD has a public safety issue outside Brookline (on vacation, gets on the wrong train), with the parents’ permission, Brookline police will share this information with other police departments.

    Parents, educators, caregivers, and the Brookline Police Department discussed:

    • When and why to initiate contact
    • When, and how to contact the police
    • Why they may be fearful to make the call
    • How the police and emergency personnel might respond
    • How the response can be modified to meet the specific needs of the child with ASD and his/parents
    • How the child with ASD might be perceived and treated
    • Project Lifesaver and other ways of keeping these children safe

    Important conversations were initiated:

    • What is the schools’ responsibility to teach and inform students about risks?
    • The importance of informing and educating parents and children in BEEP and throughout their careers in the Brookline Public Schools.
    • Kids with ASD are at risk both as victims and as perpetrators!

    What parents need to know:

    • When you call you may call either the non-emergency telephone number or 911. If your child has an information sheet, you may be specific in terms of the help you require. Usually when 911 is called police, fire, and emergency support is sent.
    • Call the BPD to arrange a tour of the police station. Police officers make themselves available 24/7 and are open to field trips, play dates or birthday parties at the station.
    • Police officers are willing to demonstrate squad cars and familiarize/desensitize students to lights and sirens.

    What parents can do:

    • Request and complete the Brookline Police Department Autistic Person Info Sheet and file with the Brookline Police Department. On the form explain sensory, medical, dietary issues. Give strengths, challenges, and examples of what has worked and not worked in the past
    • ID bracelets for wrist of on shoe lace
    • For the safety of the child and the officer, identification cards should be kept on lanyard in front of the child or in a front shirt pocket, NOT in pockets.
    • Keep Brookline Police Department phone number in the child’s backpack.
    • Teach your child to say, “I have a card.” Or “I have ID.”
    • Teach your children to be respectful when approached by a police officer. Ask them to respond using “Yes Sir/Ma’am/Officer.”
    • Do not attempt to flee
    • Do not make sudden movements
    • Try to remain calm

    What should parents tell:

    • “My child has special needs.”
    • Tell your neighbors. Be up front.

    When to call the police:

    • The police prefer that parents call immediately to ensure valuable time is not lost and to prevent possible additional dangers.
    • Listen to your gut
    • Out of control
    • Exhausted every technique you know
    • Escalation of a situation
    • If there is a weapon
    • After five minutes
    • When you feel threatened
    • When you see behavior you have never seen before
    • When you come to the end of your rope

    What teachers can do:

    • Students with ASD can be especially prone to become victims of bullies.
    • Teach “street smarts.”

    Three handouts were distributed:

    1. AUTISM (Approach - Understand - Talk - Instructions - Seek - Maintain,
    2. How Families Can Contribute to Better Police Interactions,
    3. Asperger Syndrome Guide for Teachers

    Feel free to contact Ruth Arnold (email or 617-879-4556) or Officer McDermott (email or 617-730-2609) for copies of the other handouts.

    Copies of the Brookline Police Department Autistic Person Info Sheet and a cover letter can be retrieved here.