Managing Autism Encounters in
Emergency and Crisis Situations
Key Points
- Police and first responders such as security guards, fire and rescue personnel (bomba) and RELA personnel should understand and recognise signs of autism to improve interactions and prevent misunderstandings.
- Everyone with autism is unique; you can’t always tell if someone is autistic. Consider autism if someone behaves unusually, as many are undiagnosed or choose not to disclose it.
- Use simple language, give extra response time, avoid sudden movements and loud noises, and maintain a calm environment.
- Prepare individuals with autism for encounters with police or first responders in different situations. Examples include encounters with shopping mall security guards, or in situations where police respond to calls about suspicious or aggressive behaviour.
- It takes a community to ensure the safety of individuals with autism.
Autistic individuals, like everyone else, may encounter police, first responders or other uniformed authorities in various situations. Examples include encounters with shopping mall security guards, during police traffic checks, or in situations where police respond to calls about suspicious or aggressive behaviour.
It’s important that police and other first responders understand autism to handle situations calmly and effectively. Standard protocols may not always work well for autistic individuals, leading to misunderstandings. However, with proper knowledge, they can better support autistic individuals.
This section will explore how autistic individuals, families/caregivers, community members, police and other first responders can protect the safety of autistic individuals during such encounters.