Mission – April was Autism Awareness Month, which, among other goals, aims to reduce bias, and to support appreciation and inclusion of persons with autism. When a police officer is interacting with someone with autism, the officer may need to change how they communicate with that person, balancing being calm, patient, and understanding, while also potentially needing to still take swift action in order to ensure someone’s safety. That was exactly the situation that unfolded on the evening of April 16, when a Mission RCMP officer attended a high-risk incident near a group home in Mission.
Staff called police after a 14-year-old non-speaking autistic girl managed to get the keys for the group-home’s Dodge Grand Caravan. She then got into the van and started driving it, collided with a parked car, a fence and then reversed into a tree, at which point the van became stuck, although the girl kept trying to drive. The first officer to arrive on scene immediately identified the potential risks of the situation, especially as the girl was still in the driver’s seat with the engine running, but was not communicating with anyone. She had all of the doors locked, and no spare key was available. The officer recognized that the vehicle needed to be turned off, to avoid causing injury to the girl or anyone else, but also wanted to avoid traumatizing her by getting into a physical confrontation. Breaking a window was the only way to quickly get into the vehicle, so the officer went to the passenger side of the vehicle to do so, with the hope that it would be less frightening for the girl (as opposed to breaking the driver-side window), and would reduce the chance of injury to her from the broken glass. The officer quickly shattered the window, reached in and shut off the vehicle. With there being no further immediate danger, the officer gave group-home staff the time they needed to communicate with the teen, which resulted in her eventually willingly exiting the vehicle and returning inside the home.
Fortunately, no one was injured, and property damage was relatively minor compared to what it could have been. Mission RCMP highlights this as a good example of the balance that officers often have to find between trying to peacefully de-escalate a situation, while still taking necessary action in a timely manner. Anyone calling police to report a matter involving an autistic person, or someone else with factors that may impact their interaction with police, should advise the police call-taker, so that officers can do their best to recognize and accommodate that person’s needs, resulting in an improved outcome for everyone.
