WPRO News and the Associated Press
CRANSTON, R.I. (AP) – Cranston police officers will soon receive special training for interacting with people who are autistic.
The training will be conducted by Officer Jason Head of the Newport Police Department on Monday.
According to a news release, every Cranston officer will receive the training, which will instruct them on how to recognize the symptoms of autism in addition to dealing with those affected by the developmental disorder.
Winquist says people suffering from autism have up to seven times more contact with law enforcement during their lifetimes, but only 20 percent of patrol responses related to autistic individuals involve criminal activity.
The training aims to prevent behavioral escalation and improve conflict resolution through better communication.
