Sam Astle fidgeted in the passenger seat and kept looking over his shoulders as the car he was riding in was pulled over on the 60 Freeway in Montebello last year, his mother Joy Astle recalled. That made the California Highway Patrol officer who was trying to speak to him nervous.
The 19-year-old diagnosed with autism placed his hands on the vehicle’s dashboard when instructed, his mother said, but kept shouting “what did I do?” The officer standing on his side of the car responded by speaking louder and more forcefully. That further overloaded the teen’s senses, exacerbating the meltdown he was going through.
“The police officer was also elevating the situation because Sam wasn’t cooperating,” Joy Astle said. “He looks very normal, he’s a big boy and he sounds normal. When you see a boy like Sam who isn’t answering your questions, his eyes are darting around, it looks suspicious.”
Kate Movius, Founder of Autism Interaction Solutions speaks to Sheriff’s personnel at the Industry Hills Expo Center in Industry on Tuesday, April 19, 2022. The City of Industry donated 500 Sensory Tool Kits packed with items to assist individuals with autism who are non-verbal or otherwise struggling to communicate with law enforcement. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/ SCNG)
Kate Movius, Founder of Autism Interaction Solutions shows a set of flash cards that show emotions or notes at the Industry Hills Expo Center in Industry on Tuesday, April 19, 2022. The City of Industry donated 500 Sensory Tool Kits in efforts to promote acceptance of the autism community during Autism Awareness and Acceptance Month. The Sensory Tool Kits include noise-reducing earmuffs designed to block out noise, stress balls, fidget toys, a set of Picture Exchange Communication System cards and a dry-erase board to better assist individuals who are non-verbal or otherwise struggling to communicate with law enforcement. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/ SCNG)
Kate Movius, Founder of Autism Interaction Solutions bangs on a tablea and makes noise as Los Angeles County Sheriff deputies wear 3D glasses as part of a training exercise at the Industry Hills Expo Center in Industry on Tuesday, April 19, 2022. The City of Industry donated 500 Sensory Tool Kits distributed at the session in efforts to promote acceptance of the autism community during Autism Awareness and Acceptance Month. The Sensory Tool Kits include noise-reducing earmuffs designed to block out noise, stress balls, fidget toys, a set of Picture Exchange Communication System cards and a dry-erase board to better assist individuals who are non-verbal or otherwise struggling to communicate with law enforcement. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/ SCNG)
Los Angeles County Sheriff deputies wear 3D glasses as part of an exercise at the Industry Hills Expo Center in Industry on Tuesday, April 19, 2022. The City of Industry donated 500 Sensory Tool Kits to the LA Sheriff’s Department patrol units in efforts to promote acceptance of the autism community during Autism Awareness and Acceptance Month. The Sensory Tool Kits include noise-reducing earmuffs designed to block out noise, stress balls, fidget toys, a set of Picture Exchange Communication System cards and a dry-erase board to better assist individuals who are non-verbal or otherwise struggling to communicate with law enforcement. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/ SCNG)
Kate Movius, Founder of Autism Interaction Solutions speaks to Sheriff personal as the City of Industry donated 500 Sensory Tool Kits to the LA Sheriff’s Department patrol units in efforts to promote acceptance of the autism community during Autism Awareness and Acceptance Month. The Sensory Tool Kits include noise-reducing earmuffs designed to block out noise, stress balls, fidget toys, a set of Picture Exchange Communication System cards and a dry-erase board to better assist individuals who are non-verbal or otherwise struggling to communicate with deputies at the Industry Hills Expo Center in Industry on Tuesday, April 19, 2022. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/ SCNG)
Samuel Astle, 19, who has Autism speaks to Sheriff personal as the City of Industry donated 500 Sensory Tool Kits to the LA Sheriff’s Department patrol units in efforts to promote acceptance of the autism community during Autism Awareness and Acceptance Month. The Sensory Tool Kits include noise-reducing earmuffs designed to block out noise, stress balls, fidget toys, a set of Picture Exchange Communication System cards and a dry-erase board to better assist individuals who are non-verbal or otherwise struggling to communicate with deputies at the Industry Hills Expo Center in Industry on Tuesday, April 19, 2022. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/ SCNG)
Harry Herstig, who has Autism, types a message to the deputies and police during a training session at the Industry Hills Expo Center in Industry on Tuesday, April 19, 2022. The City of Industry donated 500 Sensory Tool Kits in efforts to promote acceptance of the autism community during Autism Awareness and Acceptance Month. The Sensory Tool Kits include noise-reducing earmuffs designed to block out noise, stress balls, fidget toys, a set of Picture Exchange Communication System cards and a dry-erase board to better assist individuals who are non-verbal or otherwise struggling to communicate with law enforcement. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/ SCNG)
Gilbert Valenzuela, 20 of Whittier who has Autism speaks to Sheriff personal as the City of Industry donated 500 Sensory Tool Kits to the LA Sheriff’s Department patrol units in efforts to promote acceptance of the autism community during Autism Awareness and Acceptance Month. The Sensory Tool Kits include noise-reducing earmuffs designed to block out noise, stress balls, fidget toys, a set of Picture Exchange Communication System cards and a dry-erase board to better assist individuals who are non-verbal or otherwise struggling to communicate with deputies at the Industry Hills Expo Center in Industry on Tuesday, April 19, 2022. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/ SCNG)
Hunter Andrews, 21 who as Autism greets Los Angeles County Sheriff deputies as the City of Industry donated 500 Sensory Tool Kits to the LA Sheriff’s Department patrol units in efforts to promote acceptance of the autism community during Autism Awareness and Acceptance Month. The Sensory Tool Kits include noise-reducing earmuffs designed to block out noise, stress balls, fidget toys, a set of Picture Exchange Communication System cards and a dry-erase board to better assist individuals who are non-verbal or otherwise struggling to communicate with deputies at the Industry Hills Expo Center in Industry on Tuesday, April 19, 2022. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/ SCNG)
Kate Movius, Founder of Autism Interaction Solutions shows a set of flash cards that show emotions or notes at the Industry Hills Expo Center in Industry on Tuesday, April 19, 2022. The City of Industry donated 500 Sensory Tool Kits in efforts to promote acceptance of the autism community during Autism Awareness and Acceptance Month. The Sensory Tool Kits include noise-reducing earmuffs designed to block out noise, stress balls, fidget toys, a set of Picture Exchange Communication System cards and a dry-erase board to better assist individuals who are non-verbal or otherwise struggling to communicate with law enforcement. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/ SCNG)
Interactions between law enforcement and people on the autism spectrum are common, said Lt. Annadennise Briz of the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department’s Mental Evaluation Team. And they’re happening more frequently than ever, with the number of people diagnosed with some form of the disorder in California growing between 12% and 17% each year, said Kate Movius, founder of Autism Interaction Solutions.
On Thursday, the autism organization received 500 kits packed with tools to help bridge the gap between law enforcement and people with autism. The kits were donated by the City of Industry and will be distributed by Autism Interaction Solutions at training sessions for sheriff’s deputies and police.
The packages contain items including fidget spinners, stress-relieving balls and flash cards – all meant to help prevent misunderstandings.
Some of them can help autistic people vent emotions they’re struggling to express. Others, like dry-erase boards and printouts of a keyboard, can give non-verbal people on the spectrum a means to communicate.
“Every single thing in that kit was familiar to me,” said City of Industry Mayor Cory Moss, mother of an autistic 14-year-old boy. “We want to give law enforcement the tools to be able to do their jobs to the best of their ability. I don’t think anyone here wants to have a bad outcome, ever.”
The organization hosts training courses twice a month at the Industry Hills Expo Center in the City of Industry. They are designed to help members of law enforcement recognize and de-escalate situations involving people on the spectrum.
About 20 deputies and officers attended a session on Tuesday afternoon. When Movius asked if any had encounters with people on the autistic spectrum, they all raised their hands.
“I was called to a facility that houses autistic kids once,” one deputy said Tuesday. “When I got there, one ran right up to me, kissed my hand, and that was it. That taught me that I have to think about boundaries differently when dealing with this community.”
Every person with autism is unique, Movius noted. There is no single method to calm them down. Even though some might be able to speak or write, people on the spectrum may still struggle to communicate or understand commands given to them in stressful situations.
“Looking at a lot of things that have happened nationwide between law enforcement and people on the spectrum, or with any other mental disorder, the concern is always that they won’t understand,” said Shelly Andrews, a Long Beach resident whose son has non-verbal autism. “Or somebody else might come in in an attempt to help, but end up escalating the situation even more.”
