The Pennsylvania State Police (PSP) encourage individuals with autism to take advantage of a free safety resource designed to enhance their interactions with law enforcement officers. The PSP distributes an informational card that should be carried by people with autism and presented during any encounter with police.
"Behaviors associated with autism can cause barriers to effective communication. This card can be presented to reduce those barriers,” said Colonel Christopher Paris, Commissioner of the Pennsylvania State Police. “When an officer is made aware a person has autism, they can respond accordingly, resulting in a safer interaction for everyone involved.”
The informational cards alert law enforcement officers that the individual has autism and therefore may be nonverbal, bothered by loud noises, hyper-sensitive to touch, and unresponsive to commands or questions. The officers are directed to be patient, use a calm and direct voice, and keep their questions and commands simple.
Autism Spectrum Disorder interaction cards are available in versions to accommodate home printing needs (full color ASD cards, grayscale ASD cards, 1/4 page size ASD cards) and are also available in Spanish (full color ASD cards - Spanish, grayscale ASD cards - Spanish, 1/4 page size ASD cards - Spanish).