Salt Lake police offer autism 'registry'

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It could be useful in that people who register might find it easier to bring legal action against authorities who respond inappropriately to calls involving people with autism. The police in my little community of 10,000 know I am on"the spectrum." Even though I never actually have meltdowns I do have a lot of contact with police because I walk around a lot late at night/early morning, when it is dark and very few other human beings are on the street. I think they actually look at me and talk to me as if I am 40 years younger than I am but they have never touched me or verbally abused me. They always seem to be patient and courteous. I have had 3 cars roll up on me at once before walking around at night but I never walk in residential neighborhoods. Always in public lots or parks..

hope it ends up being safe.

I do that too (exercise at night), and I get stopped for it too.

Sir, I understand that you have an autistic person living here. We would like to ask him a few questions ...

Sir, your son failed to make eye contact during questioning. We'll have to take him downtown ...

Considering this is done on a voluntary basis by parents who are concerned that harm may come to their children in an incident associated with armed policemen, it's a win-win scenario where attention is drawn to the potential that there may be problems in reciprocal social communication that could make the difference in someone retaining or losing their lives where guns and misunderstandings in reciprocal social communication are part of the mix.

Knowledge can be power and in this case knowledge is the prize to save lives.

[sarcasm]

Why not just have people on the Spectrum wear a special badge or insignia?

I hear that the inverted Pink Triangle hasn't been in use for a while ...

[/sarcasm]

So is there any answer on why the parents who were having trouble with their unruly child could not simply state to the officers that he has autism and may have trouble communicating?