A bipartisan effort in New York aims to require law enforcement officers to undergo training on how to engage with people who have autism or other developmental disabilities, according to Spectrum News. Lawmakers say the move could prevent volatile encounters by teaching officers to better recognize and respond to such situations.
State Sen. Dean Murray, who supports the bill, said the training would help officers quickly assess whether someone is actually a threat or simply behaving atypically. Albany County Sheriff Craig Apple added that his department already trains for these scenarios and supports a statewide mandate.
The proposed training would cover appropriate use of force, de-escalation, and programs like mock traffic stops and the blue envelope system, which alerts officers to a driver’s condition during traffic stops.
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