Is your police department prepared to deal with your child with Autism in an emergency? The Autism Society of Maine has set a goal of ensuring our police departments and other emergency responders understand and are best equipped with the knowledge of how to recognize Autism and safely appropriately interact wth Autisic individuals during an encounter. We work towards this goal by training police, fire and search and rescue departments across the State about Autism and why it is crucial that this knowledge is available to the people who can save lives. This training was developed by Matt Brown, retired Federal Law Enforcement Officer.
Do you have a family member or loved one who has contact with the criminal justice system? We can provide some guidance in these situations. Please call ASM: 1-800-273-5200 or email: infospec@asmonline.org.
If you feel that your local police or fire department would benefit from training about Autism, we encourage you to contact the Autism Society of Maine at 1-800-273-5200 and we can arrange a training, it is free and approved by the Maine Criminal Justice Academy. First Responders and Criminal Justice Professionals brochure
Many people with Autism have specific sensitivities to lights, sounds, or touch. Some may avoid eye contact. Some are non-verbal. We encourage the parents of children with Autism to contact their local police departments and share this information with them.
The following links are for parent's and/or police officers to better understand the interaction that may occur between Law Enforcement and Autism.