Aspies For Freedom

The police should be trained to identify people who might have mental illness or other differences such as autism.  There is a huge difference between an upset autistic person and someone who is having a dangerous psychotic episode.  

I am starting to think that I should identify myself as autistic when dealing with government authorities.  I was thinking about it when I went to apply for my passport but the people at the office were very patient and helpful dealing with all my questions.  I was thinking about asking for help when going through customs.  I always get confused when they ask so many questions.  I would prefer people to write out the questions for me and make sure I understand them.

" recently had a spat of bother with the police,being arrested in my own home during a (non violent) meltdown for "disturbance of the peace",and then having to walk back home 31 miles in bare feet along the A21 (for those who dont know,its an incredibly dangerous,accident ridden blackspot of an arterial  road)"

Ah ah ah, you're a good friend Richard..always making me laugh :p

lol messin

Couldn't have said that better. Especially when it comes to our sense of justice.

I wish it were that easy.

When Hrick was small there was another local family w/ a 14 year old autistic boy.  They moved somewhere out West so he could go to a special school and receive more "expert" treatment.  At some point his parents were invited to a wedding affair and so entrusted their son to the local respite service.  The worker, insufficiently trained,  couldn't manage the situation and called the police WITHOUT explaining what was going on. When they got there they shot and killed the boy because he had a weapon. (I think he got scared and picked up one of the families dinner knives from the table).  It was a horrible trajedy, most especially for the young boy who died needlessly.

I'm not sure simple training would have done it.

Knowing the system and knowing Hrick, Hrick has gone everywhere with us since he was three years old.  I am sure some within the system consider us overprotective. I consider us safe.

Mom

I think that a lot of people who train to be police are well suited and some have not the intelligence, strength, compassion, toughness and temperament to be effective officers.
Public awareness of autism is not that great and police awareness is not any better.
Any awareness through training, experience and education can not be to the detriment of police or autistics.

I agree. They really need more training. Oh, and I know the A21 very well indeed. I used to be a taxi driver based near that horrible road. I'm surprised you weren't killed. If I were still driving up and down that road I would have offered you a free ride - I always gave walkers on dangerous roads free rides because I knew my conscience would have been on at me for the rest of my life if someone were knocked down. Unfortunately I'm now on the other side of the planet.

I've met a few policemen over the years and there have been some who've seem to have had serious problems of self-knowledge.

September 8th, 2000; yours truly is out rowing the rowing boat. I'm moving it from a spot that is nearer to where I live and also nearer the places where I usually went. I've put my bicycle in the back of the boat. It's a windy, but otherless nice, day and I'm slowly progressing as a prowl-boat passes me in the opposite direction; gulp, shit, the blue boys, of all bleedin times. I go a-shore to walk a bit just to cool off. They go in to a dock where the turn and come back, and looking at the corner of my eye, I see them stop just outside where I've gone a-shore. Horn BLARING; I'm almost shitting in my pants; BLARING again. Get back in the boat and row out and up along side on the windy side. Old guy starts asking question like is that your bicycle, your boat and I'm replying to the best of my knowledge, while I'm trying not to drift into the starboard side of their vessel. Guy says finally that I should have a life-vest on. Sure! And then they take off. HE DID NOT HAVE ONE HIMSELF. The day is totally ******* ruined. Oh God, won't you give me a grenade-launcher? I went to send an urgent message and I don't have a bottle to put it in...

Police hate people that are smarter than them and, as the criteria to become a member of the force is focusing mainly on muscle mass and such, the chance of encountering police who're smarter than you are is rather slim.

Sure! They ought to be trained in empathy and compassion...

I know it. I was based in Ticehurst and sometimes drove pupils to/from the school.

Too bad we can't train the police to BE autistic XD

That would just be sweet.

How could they catch criminals then?

"we're not readyyyyyy"

I have had to deal with the police. I mean really, we, tend to be rather *sweet* and innocent.

I am quite easily provoked in some circumstances.

I smashed my ex's laptop and had also whacked her on a former occasion. We had made up for the whacking weeks before and things were better than ever, but the fact that I dumped her for winding me up after I had smashed the laptop induced her to go to the police and moan about it.

I stopped answering her calls, everything. She could not handle that. She liked having a crap relationship, some women do.

Bascially I think that people with ASD need to be POLICE TRAINED.

Like little bo peep, who had 'lost her sheep', I went along to the Police and gave a statement saying I had smashed it. I should have said NOTHING.

If you have ASD and you are arrested, tell them that you need a suitable adult, straight away. In fact, if they want to question you, tell them that you need a suitable adult.

It worked for me over the whacking. They immediately assumed that I had enough savoir faire to say 'no comment', and decided to put the case to the courts straight away, either that or it was just laziness and they could not be bothered with the suitable adult.

I think that there is an issue here with the unfairness of ASD. I do not think that the silly situations I get myself into would occur if I could forgive the people who had mistreated me in the past.

I am an angry aspie. I do not like my parents. We have to make adaptations too.

Shit.

Ahem, "I decided a while back that Judge Dredd had some degree of AS "

I think they should be trained in autism recognition, as it would have prevented the tasering of that teen at the bus stop. It would also protect autistics as police would know to keep them from the general population if they have to arrest someone.

It would help with misunderstandings etc. 'Scuse following rant.

(My own little humiliating wanna scream moment -- recently! : Driving along with a passenger in the back seat. It was night time and I was pulled up because one of the headlights was blown. The car kept flashing its lights in my eyes, and I was so close to screaming but somehow managed not to freak out completely.

Cop says, "Are you okay to drive?" I said yes because I had to drive it's my job and I have a passenger in the back seat and this is so bloody humiliating -- I don't want to have a meltdown now!

Next thing I know, by evening the same cop rung up my boss!! grr. All about how "concerned" she was etc. Boss says "oh yeah and she was really nice she used to be a nurse..." Oh f*ck.

And I want to shout out loud: I'M NOT A RETARD AND I'M NOT A HEAD CASE AND I DON'T NEED MY HAND HELD.)

Stupid cops.