The Centralia Police Department is introducing a pilot program called Project Guardian: a free, voluntary program intended to help keep loved ones with intellectual and developmental disabilities such as autism safe, the department announced in a news release on Monday.
Project Guardian educates officers on the common characteristics of autism, providing suggestions on how to work with individuals with this disorder. Project Guardian also allows guardians, who are not always present in the event of an emergency, to share critical information with officers about their loved one’s disabilities in the event of an interaction.
By submitting an online form, the information is entered into the city’s dispatch system for confidential use by law enforcement in several ways: before officers arrive to calls where the individual is known to be involved; before officers arrive to calls at residences known to be associated with the individual; and after an officer has arrived to a call and has determined the individual’s identity, according to the news release.
Upon registering for Project Guardian, families of those with special needs are also provided window decals to be displayed on their cars and home.
“This provides a quick visual signal for environments where an individual with special needs, such as autism, may be present,” according to the news release. “Each of these program elements aid in keeping these individuals safe during crises.”
In each of these scenarios, the dispatch system produces an alert indicating the individual is a participant of Project Guardian. Dispatch then relays details to the officer about the individual including specific triggers, typical behaviors, calming measures, and other strategies to be used during a crisis.
“This helps officers best
anticipate and manage calls,” the Centralia Police Department said in a news release.
“Police are often unable to identify when an individual they are about to encounter has autism, making it challenging to recognize when different approaches may be appropriate. Flashing lights on an emergency vehicle, for example, may cause a person with autism to become frightened and withdraw. Officers may not understand why some individuals with autism will not make eye contact with them, keep their fists clenched, or flap their hands during interactions. An otherwise straightforward contact may evolve into a very traumatic experience for a person with autism and leave officers confused,” the Centralia Police Department said in a news release.
The program was first created by the Newport News Police Department and adapted by the Yakima Police Department, and is now being implemented by the Centralia Police Department, according to the news release.
Currently, Project Guardian exists as a pilot program available solely to residents of the City of Centralia.
“We look forward to the success of the program in hopes of expansion to all of Lewis County in the near future,” Centralia police said in a news release.
Those with questions can contact the Centralia Police Department at 360-330-7680. Guardians in Centralia can enroll their loved ones at https://www.cityofcentralia.com/558/Project-Guardian
