Police hope new autism roster will help them 'better serve'

Police hope new autism roster will help them 'better serve'

(KSL TV, File)


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SOUTH SALT LAKE — Two Unified police officers recently responded to a call of a parent who was having trouble with an unruly child.

When they arrived, they quickly found themselves having a communication problem with the juvenile. That lack of communication created friction with officers, said Salt Lake County Sheriff Jim Winder.

The officers found out later that the juvenile had autism.

"They were not familiar with the circumstances associated with that child. And instead (they) reacted in a way that, in retrospect, was both unfortunate and inappropriate," he said of the tone the officers took with the juvenile.

But from that incident, Winder said a "wonderful opportunity" was created in the form of a partnership between Unified police, local health officials and advocates for people who have autism spectrum disorder.

On Thursday, Winder unveiled the new Autism Safety Roster. Parents or guardians of those with autism can visit this website and register their loved one. Information such as the autistic person's physical description as well as critical details like known triggers and behaviors can be added.

That way, whenever officers are sent to a house where person with autism spectrum disorder is known to live, or when they are called to respond to a situation involving a known autistic person, they respond to the situation better prepared. In addition, a member of the police department's Crisis Intervention Team can respond to the scene.

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"If we can have preparation before we get there, we can much better serve what is a very unique and important segment of our community," Winder said. "If I knew that I was responding and it said the individual that we're dealing with has a special need, I'd treat it differently."

Whereas police officers are trained to gain control of a situation by using force a notch above what the suspect is using, for an unarmed autistic person, "That is exactly the opposite circumstance that would occur in this," he said.

By being calm and allowing an autistic person "significantly more movement than normal," Winder hopes officers can resolve calls involving autistic people more peacefully. Since a similar policy was instituted at the Salt Lake County Jail, Winder said the instances of corrections officers using force has dropped 70 percent.

"You have to have de-escalation skills. You just have to learn how to deal with those people on a different level," said Unified Police Sgt. Jodi Sampson, a member of the department's Crisis Intervention Team.

Jon Owen, president of the Utah Autism Coalition, said he is pleased with the creation of the roster.

While nationally 1 in 68 people had been diagnosed with autism, he said in Utah that number is 1 in 54. But more important, Owen said, 49 percent of children with autism are prone to wandering off.

He said it's important that officers understand some of the different traits of autistic children that they meet.


In a crisis situation, sometimes you forget the things you need to think about and communicate.

–Montel McDowell, mother of autistic daughter


"That could be really confusing to an officer if a 14-year-old person shows up and repeats everything they say rather than comply with their commands. You'd want to treat them differently. You'd want to understand where that's coming from," he said.

In addition to a lost child, officers might be called to deal with a child with autism spectrum disorder who is being unruly. Owen said when a distressed or panicked parent calls 911, they are already pre-occupied and may forget to give officers all the pertinent information — something the new roster could help accomplish.

"In a crisis situation, sometimes you forget the things you need to think about and communicate," said Montel McDowell, an advocate of the new roster, whose own daughter is autistic.

She said if an autistic child is having a "meltdown," it's hard to relay vital information to emergency dispatchers while trying to calm that child down at the same time. With the roster, officers can review important information as they drive to their location.

"It will help officers respond better. And it will grow. It will grow beyond just helping people with autism," she said.

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