News » Law Enforcement Leaders Gather for Autism-Friendly Practices Summit

Law Enforcement Leaders Gather for Autism-Friendly Practices Summit

November 30, 2024

On November 12, 2024, Autism New Jersey hosted a statewide summit for law enforcement at the New Jersey Law Center in New Brunswick, New Jersey. More than 150 law enforcement leaders throughout the state attended, including 10 County Prosecutors, multiple Chiefs of Police, First Assistant Prosecutors, and a representative from the Office of the Attorney General.

Passaic County Prosecutor Camelia Valdes, mother of two autistic daughters, gave inspiring remarks following a brief welcoming address by Autism New Jersey’s Executive Director, Dr. Suzanne Buchanan. Doreen Yanik, Esq., Autism New Jersey’s Law Enforcement Initiative Director, then provided an overview of the Law Enforcement Initiative, highlighting key accomplishments since the initiative formally launched in the beginning of 2024.

After Ms. Yanik’s overview, 12 law enforcement professionals engaged in informative and engaging panel discussions, highlighting key autism-friendly practices and their experiences in implementing these practices within their agencies. Many of the panelists also exhibited their practices later in the day, allowing for interaction with attendees and further discussion. The event provided continued statewide recognition of the initiative and an opportunity for multi-agency networking toward a common goal.

The summit was incredibly well-received with glowing and supportive feedback, and we thank our sponsors, AngelSense, Online Policing Solutions, and PerformCare for their support to help make this event possible!

Value to the community

I thought the presenters were great! Having the presenters speak about their personal experiences really brought the issues home. The various programs discussed were presented in such a way that made their value to the community very evident.

Cross-Disciplinary Collaboration

I find the collaboration between different law enforcement agencies as well as parents and vendors invaluable. This kind of cross-disciplinary collaboration helps law enforcement stay updated and apply the most effective approaches in their work. Having been involved with the Special Needs Registry for almost 10 years – I still walk away with new ideas on how to make to it better and incorporate what other agencies are doing into our existing program.

Crucial Information

I thought the manner in which each panel member presented provided an excellent flow and chronology to disseminating this very crucial information.

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