Experiences of Autism Spectrum Disorder and Policing in England and Wales: Surveying Police and the Autism Community.

Crane et al. (2016) asked police officers and autistic people in England and Wales about their contact. They used an online survey. Both groups shared real stories of stops, interviews, and call-outs.

Only 37 % of officers had any autism training. Both sides said the meetings went badly. Officers felt they had no time to make changes. Autistic people felt misunderstood and scared.

Bitsika et al. (2020) ran the same survey in Australia and got the same bad marks. The problem is not just British — it crosses continents.

Ethridge et al. (2020) and Van Gaasbeek et al. (2026) show a fix exists. After a short autism course, officers knew more and felt ready. Yet Granillo et al. (2022) found that even trained officers still used lots of force. Training helps knowledge, but changing street behavior is harder.

Cooper et al. (2024) widened the lens. Half of autistic adults worldwide met police for welfare checks or wandering, not crime. The 2016 snapshot now looks like a global pattern.

You can push for brief, evidence-based autism lessons at your local station. Share the four key parts listed in Waldron et al. (2023): traits, de-escalation, communication tips, and autistic voices. Ask to add a parent or autistic adult to the training room. One hour there can save a bad stop later.