BARDSTOWN, Ky. — Officers with the Bardstown Police Department are receiving special training to help them better understand and interact with members of their community who have autism.
Bardstown Police Chief Kim Kraeszig said there is a high chance that officers will interact with someone who has autism during runs, encouraging the department to start training for the best possible interaction.
"It's critical that we can improve those skills of our officers to be able to effectively communicate," Kraeszig said.
Police first started the training program, done in partnership with Families for Effective Autism Treatment (FEAT) of Louisville, two weeks ago. FEAT of Louisville is a nonprofit run by families of people with autism aimed at bettering the lives of people on the autism spectrum.
"I have been an advocate for my son for 25 years. He's nonverbal," Shellie May, the executive director of FEAT of Louisville, said. "It is so important that the community has somebody that passionate advocates on their behalf."
FEAT of Louisville has been working with people and businesses through the Autism Friendly Business Initiative, which will certify an organization as an "Autism Friendly Business" once at least 80% of the employees finish a free, online training program.
"Without awareness and education, you can't accept," May said. "You can't accept what you don't know."
The nonprofit has also reached out to local law enforcement agencies to encourage them to participate in the training, which seeks to help officers better understand autism, some of the triggers for individuals with autism and ways to better communicate and help people, especially in high-stress situations.
"It is an invisible disability," said Melanie West, FEAT of Louisville's programs director. "You can meet somebody — you may not even know unless they were to tell you that they have autism."
Kraeszig said 100% of her officers have now completed the training program, which she said only takes about 10 minutes. She said she is also looking to purchase kits from FEAT of Louisville that come with supplies to help officers limit triggers and increase communication when interacting with autistic individuals.
"It helps us to improve our communication skills by giving someone more time to talk because they may hesitate in responding, creating a safe place for someone, and really just having patience," Kraeszig said. "This is a critical step for us to give our officers and prep them with all the necessary skills that they need to be effective in their jobs."
May said Kentucky Autism Training Center also offers a more intensive training program and has worked with some of the police departments in the area. FEAT of Louisville has worked with the Jeffersontown Police Department, and Kraeszig said she has reached out to other chiefs about the program.
"There would be no reason for a department not to go through this training," Kraeszig said.
More information about the training program can be found on FEAT of Louisville's website.
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