People with autism are reported to be seven times more likely to have police encounters than their typical peers.
Through our Law Enforcement Initiative, launched in early 2024, we aim to bring together individuals and entities in law enforcement and the autism community to identify best practices in a variety of areas and increase the adoption of autism-friendly practices.
Autistic individuals and their families need support
1 in 35 children are identified with Autism Spectrum Disorder in New Jersey. Autistic individuals often demonstrate impairments and/or differences in their social communication, sensory experiences, and other behavior:
- difficulty understanding spoken language, non-verbal cues, and vocal tone
- limited or no safety awareness
- intense focus on certain activities/topics
- insistence on specific routines and difficulty adapting to change
- repetitive movements such as rocking, pacing, flicking fingers, or waving arms
These social communication, sensory experiences, and behavioral impairments and/or differences can unfortunately be misinterpreted by law enforcement which, when combined with stressful or emergency situations, cause heightened anxiety for all individuals involved.
Individuals in law enforcement need support
While local police departments are always making strides to improve their interactions through yearly training and engagement with various members of the community, many individuals in law enforcement have continued to express a desire for more information and resources on autism. Effective training, knowledge of autism-friendly resources, and positive relationships between autistic individuals, their families, and law enforcement are all important ways to support law enforcement.
The challenges faced by each community, both on their own and in combination, require thoughtful solutions that bring people together and acknowledge that there are numerous stakeholders involved. No one solution will be enough to support the needs of these two communities.
Autism New Jersey’s Law Enforcement Initiative
Autism New Jersey has developed a multi-year, multi-phase initiative to address the needs of autistic individuals, their families, and law enforcement professionals.
Phase I
Gather information and develop relationships with key stakeholders
 | Law Enforcement Advisory Committee consisting of several law enforcement individuals with experience with autistic individuals has been developed. |
 | A Leadership Roundtable for law enforcement was held to provide a forum to network, share autism-friendly practices, and learn from colleagues. |
 | Department-specific meetings where Autism New Jersey regularly connects with local, county, and state law enforcement offices to share our plans. |
 | Two surveys have been developed to gather information on the experiences and perceptions of the autism and law enforcement communities. |
Phase II
Disseminate autism-friendly practices and establish autism-law enforcement network
 | Autism-friendly law enforcement practices which involve implementing strategies and training practices to enhance officers’ understanding of autism and equipping individuals in law enforcement with the skills to communicate effectively and respond appropriately to individuals with autism. |
 | The Supporting Autism-Friendly Enforcement (SAFE) Network to develop a network of individuals and departments in the state of New Jersey who are doing exemplary work to support autistic individuals by implementing autism-friendly practices. |
 | Law Enforcement Autism Planning Sessions (LEAPS) for municipal- and county-level leaders in law enforcement. Autism New Jersey will partner with law enforcement to help agencies be as autism friendly as possible. |