Montreal police pilot project to train officers how to better support autism community

Montreal police have partnered with Giant Steps to launch a pilot project aimed at improving the quality and safety of emergency responses involving people with autism.

The initiative, launched Wednesday, is designed to help police officers better understand and respond to the needs of individuals with autism during emergency situations.

The project, called “Autsecours–l’aide autrement,” allows people with autism and their families to voluntarily share information that can be integrated into the Montreal’s police call dispatch system. The information may include communication preferences, sensory sensitivities or specific support needs.

“This long-standing partnership with the SPVM demonstrates that constant dialogue and concrete field experiences can truly transform practices,” said Alain Beaudoin, executive director of Giant Steps. “AutSecours–l’aide autrement represents an important step forward for autistic people and their families, by promoting more humane and better informed interventions.”

Police say having access to this information during emergency calls can help officers adapt their approach and better tailor interventions to individual circumstances.

The goal of the pilot project is to promote responses that are better suited to the realities of people with autism, while also fostering a greater sense of trust and security for them and their families.

“It is very complex to be a police officer. They are almost magicians, the way they treat people has completely changed,” said Fady Dagher, Montreal police chief. “It’s a shift, it has completely changed since 35 years ago. When I see my police officers working in the field, they have my whole admiration because sometimes they go, they pass from an autism call with a young person, 10 minutes later they have to work on an assault, 10 minutes later with homeless people, 10 minutes later with domestic violence.

“So the way they shift their behaviour, the police officer, the way they have to adapt in one shift of eight hours, it’s a miracle the way they work.

“So that’s why I say it’s very complex. In 35 years, when I was on the field, I never went through this approach that I’ve been doing right now. So, we should be thankful, the police officers that we have in Montreal. And very honestly, when you see them on the street, say hi to those police officers. Five fingers, not only one.”

AutSecours is building on an existing partnership between the SPVM and Giant Steps, which already includes specialized training on autism and neurodiversity for police recruits, as well as immersion days at Giant Steps.