Delaware CO, OH: Police receive autism training
- The end of childhood
- May 3
- 2 min read
May 2, 2025, WCMH, Columbus, OH: Training teaches law enforcement to recognize people with autism
Law enforcement officers in central Ohio are participating in a unique training, learning about safe and effective ways to interact with people who have autism.
Carrie Gutowski leads the training. Her son, Leo, was diagnosed with autism a decade ago when he was two years old.
Gutowski said there are a lot of behavioral signs a person with autism has that may also come off as a red flag to law enforcement. . . .
Gutowski is conducting the training alongside Delaware County Sheriff’s Deputy Jon Scowden, who also has a son with autism. They said they started the training nine years ago because they weren’t sure how their kids would react in a situation with law enforcement and worried how law enforcement would react to them.
The class shows officers how to recognize the behavioral signs of a person with autism like sensitivity to loud noise or light, fine motor issues, or trouble communicating. . . .
Mental health professionals hope the training will help officers de-escalate rather than overstimulate.
“This is all meant to be a complement to what they already have,” Rhianna Mattis, associate director of the Delaware-Morrow Mental Health and Recovery Services Board, said. “This is just more tools in their belt, whether it may be, you know, the recognition of a mental health diagnosis, an autism diagnosis, you know, to be able to understand that.” This specific training was facilitated by the board.
There was law enforcement from several agencies in both Franklin and Delaware counties as well as other emergency personnel. . . .
Gutowski said she has trained thousands of law enforcement officers in central Ohio.
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