SAN ANTONIO – Psychology researcher Ashlee Flanagan set to explore the relationship between black autistic youth and police officers.
Flanagan took into account the misinterpretations of autistic behavior and the lack of eye contact for some of the restrictive, repetitive behaviors. She said there are concerns about some aggressive behaviors for those who suffer from autism, but she said most of the research surrounding that has been based on white experiences.
“We know there is a really ripe and complex history between law enforcement and black individuals in the United States,” Flanagan said. “But we don’t have much research out there about black autistic individuals or black youth and police officers. And so that’s sort of what undergirded the interest in this study.”
Research shows that one in five individuals with autism will have an interaction with police, but it’s not known what that interacti on looks like for black autistic youth, she said.
Flanagan’s survey showed that black caregivers are concerned about the training that law enforcement officers receive on how to deal with and interact with autistic youth. They were concerned about how autistic behaviors are police.
“But what we also found, which was not in (the) research, is that black caregivers are really concerned about their children being murdered. And the threat of harm and murder,” she said.
The physicality of their child, the race and sex of their child, mostly boys, were raised as concerns, she explained.
Recent CDC data showed autism was lower among white children, black children and Hispanic children have higher rates.
“We’re getting better at diagnosing, so we have better tools. We also have better training. There’s also more awareness around what autism looks like,” Flanagan said. “(The) problem is she says there’s a long waiting list for therapies and a huge challenge with access.
Her hope is that there’s more of a conversation about the interaction between black autistic youth and law enforcement. She’s calling on those going in the autism field to probe into the experiences of autistic minorities when they deal with first responders.
In 2024, KSAT reported that San Antonio Police cadets received some training on responding to incidents involving people with autism; they received a four-hour block dedicated to autism.
KSAT reached out to the Bexar County Sheriff’s office to see what type of training they receive, but we have not yet heard back.
The Texas Commission on Law Enforcement (TCOLE) offers a course called Interactive with Autistic Citizens.
Flanagan offers some guides for families, including a free book by the University of Colorado.
And here are national organizations that could provide resources for minority families.
Locally, here is a link to some of the resources for Texas families.
