The Office of Public Instruction’s Montana Autism Education Project is offering free training designed for law enforcement and other first responders, 911 dispatchers, correctional officers and school administrators.
Autism Spectrum Disorder Recognition, Response and Risk Management: High Risk Contacts with Autistic Individuals training will be held at Flathead High School in Kalispell from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Sept. 29.
The four-hour training will focus on the identification of individuals at varied independence levels. Topics covered include: recognition and disclosure of autism spectrum disorder; communication tips; sensory and scene management tips; search and rescue of missing and vulnerable children and adults; development of vulnerable/voluntary informational data bases; suspicious persons contacts; persons in crisis emergencies with aggression; use of force and custody; interview of an autistic victim, witness, or suspect; threat assessment and partnership opportunities with autism support organizations and related training policies.
Presenters will be Dennis Debbaudt and James Marble.
Debbaudt, whose son was diagnosed with autism in 1987, is a nationally recognized expert on autism and law enforcement interactions with more than 35 years of experience training professionals across public safety, criminal justice, education and emergency response. As a former investigative journalist, he started reporting autism issues and police interactions in the early 1990s and went on to help law enforcement agencies develop curriculum, along with producing training videos and writing books, according to autismriskmanagement.com.
“His work is widely respected for improving safety, awareness and communication between law enforcement and autistic individuals,” according to an event description from the Office of Public Instruction.
Debbaudt has consulted and trained agencies including the FBI, Homeland Security’s Federal Law Enforcement Training Centers, in addition to New York, Chicago and Houston police departments. He has been featured by HBO, ABC’s “20/20,” “The New York Times,” “People Magazine” and “WIRED.”
Marble, a 26-year law enforcement veteran, brings a unique combination of law enforcement and personal experience after being diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder in 2020.
He has served in positions from patrolman to the chief of police and has been a certified law enforcement instructor in Montana for 16 years, specializing in firearms, use of force, autism spectrum disorder recognition, communication strategies and de-escalation techniques.
“James is dedicated to advocating for law enforcement, and people with ASD [autism spectrum disorder] and their families, in order to bridge the gap between both communities.”
Registration is required. Register online at https://tinyurl.com/ASDrecognition. A digital lesson plan and session handout will be provided. Sessions will also be offered in Missoula, Helena, Belgrade and Billings.