On Wednesday, January 25, Driscoll Health Plan and Bebo’s Angels partnered up to bring back Autism Risk & Management Training to the Brownsville Police Department after a three year hiatus. This police department was one of the first stations to request this type of curriculum training. Over 40 off-duty police officers came in eager to learn and hear from Dennis Dabbaudt, a 25-year experienced trainer in autism and law enforcement curriculum development and training room delivery. Officers learned how to understand and approach the autism community in the field. From managing sensory environment, speaking in verbal bullet points and understanding that some may act or react differently, Brownsville police officers received a full day of training. A total of 150 Brownsville police officers will receive this training. In a surprising statistic, 1 in 44 people are diagnosed with autism. That is why ensuring that law enforcement is equipped with the proper knowledge and training could evidently eliminate barriers.
