Community members, many on the autism spectrum, gathered at Tallahassee’s Maclay Gardens State Park on Saturday, July 12. It was part of an event aimed helping law enforcers and people with autism experience positive interactions in a low-pressure way.
Sheriff's Captain Melinda Henderson was part of the event. She showed off the department's hostage negotiation vehicle.
"Showing them a little bit of what we have and offering them an insight into what each team does and giving some community information outreach and just having a good day."
Representatives from FSU's Center for Autism and Related Disabilities were also there. Director Cathy Zenko said it’s important for law enforcement to understand that their approach may need to change depending on who they’re interacting with.
"They want to make sure they have the skills they need when they encounter anybody who is neurodiverse or has different abilities so they know how to make the situation as calm and de-escalate as easily as possible."
Zenko added local law agencies have been getting this training for years. Recently, the Florida legislature considered a bill that would have required statewide training for police. It didn’t pass this year, but advocates are hoping to see a similar effort again in the future.
