Law Enforcement & First Responders

At ABC Group, we believe in supporting our local and national community with resources to help them understand autism and other developmental disabilities. Our local law enforcement officers and first responders are our guardians, and we aim to support their mission of keeping the community safe by offering our expertise and knowledge through community outreach whenever possible. These resources offer learning tools and materials for community events, officer training events, or roll call to help identify characteristics of persons with autism or developmental disability during a police-citizen encounter. As we know, many symptoms of autism or developmental disability can also look like other symptoms of mental illness or drug addiction behavior. Arming our first responders with this information is our first step in keeping everyone safe! As a parent or guardian or family member of someone with autism or developmental disability, we encourage you to reach out to your local police precinct to get to know them and introduce them to your family member. Sign up for Smart 911 to provide details about your family member in case of an emergency at your home. Providing details to your precinct beat officers regarding your family member may help in case of elopement or wandering. A form to fill out for eloping can be found in the Big Red Safety Box. The Big Red Safety Box is a wonderful safety resource for families.