With retired New Jersey police captain Gerald Turning leading the way virtually, members of the Mercer Island Police Department (MIPD) are in the process of engaging in autism awareness training for first responders.
Turning, who has a son diagnosed on the autism spectrum, runs the Blue Ridge training program that MIPD chief Ed Holmes located and placed on the department’s docket. The subscription-based training is free to the department and all members are anticipated to complete their classes over the next couple months.
According to the Autism Research Institute website, one in 54 children are diagnosed on the autism spectrum, and “knowing how to connect and support neurodiverse youth is a paramount skill for our first responders,” reads a city press release.
The three main sections of the training are improving communication to de-escalate crises, saving lives by organizing more effective searches of autistic individuals who go missing and improving community relations to foster lasting relationships.
“We are fortunate to have learned a lot from families with children on the autism spectrum that we have connected with in recent years. Building those relationships makes us better and instills confidence in our neighbors that their officers are capable of meeting the needs of our community,” said Lindsey Tusing, MIPD police records specialist.
Tusing said the training, which has garnered robust support from Mayor Salim Nice, will be applicable when officers interact with people on the autism spectrum and in other situations. When interacting with people in any type of crisis to make safety the end result, Tusing said officers can utilize more active listening skills to understand the situation and determine if the person is a danger to themselves or others. While keeping an open mind when applying de-escalation tactics, officers can also determine if they can refer the person to some assistance they may need.
“Our police meet an array of situations and often must make decisions on the fly. I commend chief Holmes for preparing our police force for the day when our officers meet autism during their work in our community,” Nice said. “I sincerely hope this training provides the education and awareness to improve communication and save lives in a compassionate way that results in the best outcomes.”
A Facebook poster on the MIPD page also voiced their approval: “This is so amazing, thank you MIPD for making this a focus.”
COFFEE WITH A COP
Six members of the MIPD force met with about 50 residents at the two-and-a-half-hour Coffee With a Cop gathering on Aug. 20 at one of the downtown Starbucks shops.
Tusing said it was a positive experience and some citizens came prepared with questions to ask chief Holmes and crew. It’s necessary for the chief and his colleagues to meet face to face with Islanders, said Tusing, adding, “That was, I think, really important to make sure that people feel that we are accessible and available and open to hearing concerns.”
One resident wanted to know when it’s safe for drivers to pass bicyclists while sharing the road with them. According to Washington code, in part, drivers should reduce their speed and pass at a safe distance of at least three feet where practicable. For more information, visit https://tinyurl.com/3fmmdx9t.
When discussing one Islander’s question if making a 911 call to dispatchers would be burdensome if the caller isn’t sure if it’s an emergency or not, Tusing noted, “Don’t hesitate to call 911, that’s the takeaway that we would really like people to have.” She added that dispatchers will assess each call and get them into the right hands so they are responded to in order of priority.
