Navigating interactions with law enforcement can be a stressful experience for anyone, but for individuals with autism, these encounters can present even more challenges.
On Saturday, cops went to the Greater Phoenix Autism Society to bridge the gap between individuals with autism and local law enforcement.
Emily Iland is an autism advocate who leads similar educational initiatives across the country and helped make the "Be Safe" movie which shows different types of interactions people can have with law enforcement.
"It’s hard for people with autism to relate with the police because of the communication and social difficulties that are part of autism,” Iland said.
Grant Kirwan was a participant in the “Be Safe” program, getting paired up with a cop from Gilbert.
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“My journey with autism has been a rollercoaster. I, for example, have struggled with loud noises,” Kirwan said.
For many individuals on the spectrum, the sound of police sirens during a traffic stop could be particularly overwhelming.
“The interaction can be a little bit scary," Kirwan said.
By discussing those potential issues in a supportive environment, Kirwan and others were able to build confidence for what may happen in the future.
“Going out after this class, I feel more confident in interacting with an officer,” Kirwan said.
Iland said she has held multiple trainings in the Valley, and the culmination of the events can hopefully reach more people than just the ones who participated.
“By training more than 200 people now to do the work here, they can have a very big reach as well,” Iland said.
