are valid reasons to be nervous, and sometimes
it is hard or inappropriate in a situation to articulate precisely why an interaction or perceived
interaction with a law enforcement officer is
scary to you.
When it comes to authority confronting me, my
first instinct is to think I must have done something wrong. I’m a people pleaser. I don’t like to
cause a fuss, be in trouble or have people mad
at me. I try to always follow the rules. Rules
are very literal, black and white; therefore, they
make sense to me. I also always try to obey
authority figures, even if they strike serious fear
inside of me. I was that way in school if a teacher or higher-up wanted to see me, and I think I
would instinctively feel that way if an on-duty
law enforcement officer wanted to talk to me.
In my opinion, one of the big reasons that people like me who are on the autism spectrum are
nervous is because sometimes it seems that law
enforcement officers don’t understand or empathize with everybody they interact with. Autism
comes in many varieties; after all, it is a spec-
trum disorder, and no two people are exactly
alike. A lot of our actions and traits come across
and are perceived in ways we might not expect.
Maybe a police officer thinks the autistic person
who is pacing back and forth is hiding something dangerous and confronts him in a way
that the autistic person perceives as threatening.
Maybe the person is nonverbal and the officer
starts getting impatient or angry or considers
the lack of typical communication as a form of
resistance. I can imagine it being scary if you’re
trying to regulate your anxiety in an unfamiliar
environment or waiting on a ride home when
a police officer confronts you about something
that is normal or calming to you but makes
somebody else deeply uncomfortable.
I admit that I don’t often think about how my
behaviors will be interpreted or viewed to the
outside world. I am trying to interact with the
world in a way that makes me feel safe, confident, and happy, and in the moment, it might
be too nerve-wracking to say “I have autism” or
“I’m scared.” What I’ve learned is that it is okay
and there are different methods to communicate
Click above to view a video on the Wallet Card.
those feelings so that both parties will understand and feel comfortable with one another.
“Being able to effectively
bridge the communication
gap between people with
autism and law enforcement
is important and will lead to
less stress on both sides
of the equation.”
Combining Safety and Interaction
with Law Enforcement
I am so thrilled and excited to say that I am a
part of one of the most effective ways to combine two of the biggest concerns with autism:
safety and interacting with law enforcement.
After teaming up with the Coral Gables Police Department, The Disability Independence
Group, and the University of Miami’s Center
for Autism and Related Disabilities, we’re able
to bring to you The Wallet Card and its corresponding initiatives.
The wallet card is an easy way to answer questions and convey the sentiments of “Hey, I have
autism. I might act differently than expected”
and give an officer more information about autism and your emergency contacts such as par-
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ents or other caregivers so that they can answer
questions for you. It also allows law enforcement to have the training to interact with a person on the spectrum and be aware of different
behaviors, their meanings and understanding.
On each wallet card is the person’s name, phone
number, address, disability, emergency information and anything else a first responder or
police officer should know. I recommend including if you are easily anxious, sensitive to
touch, nonverbal or use alternative methods of
communication to make it easier for everyone.
There’s also a little dot on the card where you
can place your finger to measure your stress
level, and it will tell you if you’re tense! It’s
enough information to communicate your disability and some emotion on a biological level. It
is also enough to start a conversation and have
necessary accommodations to ease the process.
I have one in my wallet, and it definitely will
make things easier when I interact with on-duty
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