Elgin, IL: Police receive "autism awareness training"; rate "continues to grow"
- The end of childhood
- May 3
- 2 min read
May 1, 2025, CBS News, Chicago: Police in Elgin, Illinois emphasize difference made by autism awareness
The number of people diagnosed with autism continues to grow, and for police departments, that means an increased likelihood their officers will encounter someone on the spectrum.
With that in mind, a statewide initiative in Illinois is focusing on making sure the interactions end positively.
CBS News Chicago visited as Elgin police officers were in the midst of an autism awareness training exercise. An officer was reading the children's book, "Let's Go for a Drive!" by Mo Willems, but he was screaming the words instead of reading them quietly. Another officer sat in a chair, while a third tickled his face with red feathers.
A second officer was speaking with a book in hand, but was drowned out.
What in the world was all this about? It may sound absurd, but it's actually something very important. Stefan Bjes, owner of Blue Line Spectrum Safety, explained.
"This is what I mean about sensory overload," Bjes said. "So this is the way someone with autism is seeing their environment."
Illinois Senate Bill 3201 made such autism awareness training mandatory for police as of Jan. 1.
"It's a wonderful thing, and it's long overdue," said Bjes.
Bjes has spent the last six years teaching first responders about autism through his company. He is a former law enforcement officer himself, and a dad with two boys on the autism spectrum. . . .
A better understanding of the disorder can help officers detect it, and get creative about how to calm a situation.
"It could be limiting the number of officers on the scene," said. "It could be turning down our radios; if you went lights and sirens, reducing that." . . .
Some Illinois departments are voluntarily implementing other tools to help officers interact with the autism community. In Elgin, every squad car contains a sensory kit — with items such as stress balls to help calm subjects with autism down.
The kits also contain headphones and dry-erase boards. . . .
Lalley is proud of the steps her team has taken — including co-hosting a recent autism acceptance celebration to demonstrate an understanding of the disability. . . .
Elgin police have been taking autism awareness classes for the past few years. The new law that mandates autism awareness training for police says officers need to complete a course every three years.
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