How Michigan police agencies are training to respond to 911 calls with autistic people


The Northville Township Police Department and Michigan State Police (MSP) are adapting new autism awareness techniques by participating in the Action For Autism program. The program helps officers better understand people with autism to interact with them without making quick judgments that can result in violence. Officers who go through the training have begun gathering profiles of members of the area’s autistic community to be used in 911 calls and have begun carrying calming bags in their patrol cars. The MSP alone has trained about 1,500 MSP troopers and department personnel.

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