The Groton Police Department is the first in Connecticut to train police and first responders on how to react to people with autism and developmental disabilities without resorting to deadly force.
Groton Officer Bobby Harris is the only trainer in Connecticut certified by the state. He recalled his trainer’s personal story and how similar it was to his own, as his son has autism.
“As he was talking about his child, who had autism, I was very interested because…everything he was talking about in that training, I had dealt with so I’m talking to him and he said like ‘Wow, you seem like you could be an expert,’ and I say ‘Well I have my own child [with autism] who’s 14 or 15 at the time.’’
There have been several incidents nationwide in which police have shot an autistic person who didn’t respond to officers’ orders.
The Autism and Law Enforcement Education Coalition is leading the project, and has given training to over 40,000 first responders in 40 states across the country.