George Floyd's death prompted America to scrutinize the relationship between people of color and police officers. I believe the world should also review police's handling of autistic people.
According to a study, those with autism are seven times more likely to encounter police than “neurotypical” individuals. Depending on the severity of their disorder, those on the spectrum can react out of the ordinary and have trouble following commands. Sometimes, an autistic individual would stim or pace during a confrontation with a police officer, which would be considered "suspicious behavior."
Freddie Gray was believed to be an autistic teenager living in Baltimore, MD, when he was stopped by police officers. Due to his behavior, police used an aggressive tactic to arrest the young man, which ultimately cost Freddie his life.
With popular and polarizing movements like "Defund the Police," I believe this country should invest more in training police officers on how to handle the neurodiverse community. There should be more classes on autistic tendencies - like stimming and nonvocal communication - to ensure there would never be a Freddie Gray situation ever again.
