Law Enforcement & Disabilities

One third to a half of those who die at the hands of law enforcement have some type of disability (Runderman Foundation, 2016).

Ethan Saylor was a 26 year old man with Down syndrome who died by asphyxiation after an encounter with law enforcement in 2013. His mother, Patti, still fights to change the way law enforcement personnel are trained when encountering people like Ethan.

Law enforcement often encounters people with developmental disabilities - like autism or Down syndrome - in high-stress situations, with little or no training at all. 

Police training programs nationwide spend, on average, 168 hours teaching officers about use of force, weapons and defensive tactics, according to the most recent statistics from the Justice Department. That compares with only 10 hours spent on mental illness, for example.

People with intellectual disabilities may have trouble processing orders. They may struggle to follow directions or manage emotions. I should know, I’m raising a child with Ds who is extremely stubborn and doesn’t always want to follow directions.

“It's not always noncompliance. It's not always resistance. Sometimes it's inability. The officer very often will perceive that inability as a refusal.”

My local Miami Township Police take part in a program called Take Me Home - residents registered their loved on who has a developmental or cognitive disability. While this program is mainly to help those who may be lost or in an emergency situation, I have goals to follow up to see what steps are being taken locally to train officers in mental health & disability encounters.

One Mother’s Battle to Change Police Training on Disabilities

Half of people Killed Police Have A Disability