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Communication plays a vital role in our society, and this cannot be emphasized enough when it comes to handling or dealing with young children who are diagnosed with autism.

How an Adult interacts with an Autistic Child can be the big difference between a chaotic situation and a calm one. And this is why law enforcement is paying more attention to this issue.

In fact, a statewide initiative is being implemented in Illinois to ensure that interactions between law enforcement and children with autism end positively. This initiative aims to educate law enforcement personnel on how to effectively communicate and handle individuals with autism and raise awareness of the unique needs and behaviors of those on the spectrum.

 A training session took place at Elgin

Just this Friday, a training session took place at Elgin, where officers were taught techniques to communicate with children who may struggle with verbal or sensory processing challenges. As a fun exercise, one of the officers read out loud from “Let’s Go for a Drive!” by Mo Willems, but instead of reading softly, he read it loudly like reading to a neurotypical, and that was when the child screamed.

Next came another officer, but he was keen and different from the first one: He sat on a chair, tickled the boy’s face, and it worked. So what in the world made a difference? As Stefan Bjes (owner of Blue Line Spectrum ) puts it clearly, sensory overload is a real issue among individuals with autism.

Bjes explained the concept of sensory overload by stating that for someone with autism, their environment is perceived in a much more intense and overwhelming manner compared to those without autism.

This explains why the child screamed at the first officer who read the book aloud while standing. The kid probably perceived it as a threat or something unsafe, which can be daunting.

Bill 3201

Chris Bjes is a former law enforcement officer and father of two boys on the autism spectrum. He has been tirelessly working for the past six years to educate first responders about autism through his own company. This initiative is serious and has recently become a mandatory aspect of police training in Illinois, all thanks to Bill 3201.

Bjes, the project’s lead coordinator, also emphasizes the importance of avoiding negative publicity and instead focusing on positive actions. “We don’t want a situation where we are the next viral video on YouTube because of our negative actions towards someone with a mental illness,” stated Bjes. By training police officers in recognizing and dealing with individuals who have mental disorders, law enforcement can effectively get creative on how to handle these situations without having to resort to force.

Autism diagnosis or Therapy support

At Illinois Autism, we extend our heartfelt gratitude to the dedicated police officers and trainers working to build safer, more compassionate interactions with individuals on the autism spectrum. True progress comes from continued awareness, understanding, and Inclusion as well as accommodation.

Through initiatives like these, we move closer to a society where every child, regardless of neurotype, is treated with dignity and care. For families seeking Autism diagnosis or Therapy support, Illinois Autism Center is here for your aid.