16% of autistic teens and adults had at least one police interaction in the past 18 months
OAKLAND COUNTY, Mich. – The Franklin-Bingham Farms police launched a program to help officers better understand and respond to the needs of autistic individuals.
For many families affected by autism an emergency isn’t just about crisis.
Many worry first responders won’t know how to safely interact with someone who may not respond in a typical way.
A study from Ontario tells us that 16% of autistic teens and adults had at least one police interaction in the past 18 months, from those encounters 19% had physical restraints used and 30% resulted in the person being transported to an emergency department.
Chief Curt Lawson, Franklin-Bingham farms police, Kim Craighead, Co-responder clinician at Oakland County Community Health Network and Sara Grezlik a community organizer joined Local 4 Live to tell us more about the program.
You can watch the full interview in the video at the beginning of this article.
Copyright 2026 by WDIV ClickOnDetroit – All rights reserved.