South Fulton police training on autism aims to raise awareness among officer ranks
SOUTH FULTON, Ga. - The South Fulton Police Department is arming its officers with knowledge. On Tuesday, members of the department spent the day in a training session focused on how to interact with citizens on the autism spectrum.
It was a day of learning and unlearning for members of the South Fulton Police Department.
"Learning what to look for when you’re on a call with someone who has autism…how to speak with them…how not to overstimulate them," South Fulton Police Cpl. Lina Kiene told FOX 5.
The training was taught by a former Atlanta police officer whose son has autism.
Corporal Lina Kiene attended the workshop.
She said it was a chance to raise awareness about autism among the South Fulton PD ranks and get a better understanding of how to communicate with those on the spectrum.
"A lot of times, we as police officers, we look at people’s body language, we look at what they’re doing…you always want to be a step ahead…I’m gonna be mindful of those things and I know what to look for now," she told Fox 5.
Kiene said the difference in perception around certain actions like not making eye contact and attachment to strange objects—both common signs of autism —stood out.
"He brought up an example with a phone, so like if someone is playing with a phone…it’s a way of calming themselves down and being able to self-regulate," she explained.
Metro Atlanta-based mental health therapist Kassie Lee Love said interacting with police is a source of anxiety for many of her clients with autism.
"That fear of law enforcement or your rights being taken away is something that I often hear clients come in and discuss," Love told Fox 5.
She said while she hopes to see more discussions about developmental and mental health in general, she believes law enforcement agencies hosting training workshops on the topic will lead to less negative interactions.
According to a 2021 study by the Boston Medical Center, individuals with developmental disabilities like autism spectrum disorder are seven times more likely to come in contact with police than those without disabilities.