In response to the growing need for improved interactions between law enforcement officials and individuals with autism, Florida State Representative Paula Stark has introduced a bill proposing mandatory autism training for officers. 

The bill, House Bill 829, aims to address the challenges posed by individuals on the autism spectrum and ensure that officers are equipped with the necessary skills to handle such situations.

Currently, the training is optional in Florida. However, Stark believes mandatory training can alleviate a growing issue in the state.

“Florida has the highest percentage of autism in the country, so for us, it is a growing issue, and so we need to address that sooner than later,” the representative said.

The Autism Society of Greater Orlando and Osceola County recently conducted two training sessions for officers and deputies from across Central Florida, focused on teaching law enforcement professionals how to interact with individuals with autism.

The Volusia County Sheriff’s Office and the New Smyrna Beach Police Department also participated in the training, which officials say offered insight into the challenges faced by autistic persons, with an emphasis on de-escalation techniques.

Donna Lorman, president of the Autism Society, approved the tenets of the program.

“The community and the officers want to do the right thing. They just don’t know what to do, and so looking at this training is not only going to keep our individuals with autism safer, but it’s going to keep the law enforcement officer safer as well.”

According to Lorman, her organization has trained over 40,000 officers in the state.

Included in the training sessions are live demonstrations featuring individuals with autism, such as Lorman’s son Drew. 

Lorman noted that it is important for officers to recognize that adults with autism, although physically mature, may developmentally function at a younger age, thus putting them at risk for lethal force.

Stark’s proposed bill, if passed, would require officers to undergo at least four hours of in-person instruction on dealing with individuals on the autism spectrum.

The training would cover techniques for identifying and interviewing individuals with autism, de-escalation tactics, and procedures for missing persons cases involving them.

The bill also addresses the restrictions in Florida’s Baker Act, which states that individuals diagnosed only with autism spectrum disorder, which is not a mental illness, cannot be involuntarily committed under the act.

Stark was able to observe a training session, where she expressed concern over incidents where law enforcement’s lack of awareness about autism led to violent encounters.

She referred to one case in Arizona, captured on body camera footage, where an officer used excessive force against a teenager with autism. The officer was later sued but cleared of any wrongdoing.

“That is an example of what we don’t want to happen,” Stark said. “If any ounce of this prevention solves any of it, then we’re ahead of the game.”

The bill is currently making its way through the Florida Legislature, with advocates hopeful that mandatory training will become a crucial step in ensuring the safety of individuals with autism and improving interactions between law enforcement and the autism community.