Media Release
The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department’s Mental Evaluation Team will conduct a specialized training session Tuesday on strategies for safely interacting with individuals with autism and other developmental disabilities.
The two-hour “Autism and Law Enforcement Awareness” course, at the Mental Evaluation Training Center, aims to equip deputies with practical tools to recognize autism indicators, address sensory and communication challenges, and de-escalate encounters that might otherwise be misinterpreted as noncompliance or aggression.
The Mental Evaluation Team has partnered for more than eight years with Kate Movius, founder of Autism Interaction Solutions, to deliver the interactive program. It combines education on the neurological basis of autism with hands-on exercises, modified communication techniques, restraint considerations and scene management. A key element includes live interactions with autistic individuals and their caregivers, providing real-world insights.
“Officers learn to identify autism indicators, understand why compliance may be difficult for this population, and practice appropriate response techniques,” according to a department advisory.
The training is part of ongoing efforts by the Mental Evaluation Team, which pairs deputies with Department of Mental Health clinicians to respond to crisis calls and provides in-service training on mental health and developmental disabilities to department members. The team has offered similar autism-focused programs for years, including immersive experiences to help deputies better understand behaviors associated with autism.
Movius, whose son has autism, has trained Los Angeles-area law enforcement agencies since 2011 on de-escalation and communication strategies to minimize risks during encounters with autistic individuals.
