Dennis Debbaudt

The death of George Floyd in Minneapolis earlier this year has once again highlighted the ongoing and problematic issue related to police encounters between many African Americans and the law enforcement community. Years of mistrust, racial…

In my recent article reporting the tragic story of a eight year old child with autism being arrested and shackled for throwing a tantrum at school, I cried out for a way to intervene in these situations and educate police departments and…

All autism parents feel anxious about their children in the community, knowing they could be perpetrators, victims of crime, or wanderers. Far too often, criminal actions on the part of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) individuals are…

Wandering-related episodes involving those with autism is a serious issue and stories seem to come in on a weekly basis pertaining to the topic. Unfortunately, not all of them have happy endings. Many autism groups and organizations…

A recent Virginia case in which an teenager with Asperger's was sentenced by jury to ten-and-a-half years in prison for assaulting a police officer is a horrible tragedy for all concerned. News accounts reported that the teen went…

The Windsor Star reports a great idea coming from our neighbors to the north in having local police departments create a voluntary online registry of citizens with autism in their community. A successful pilot project exists in Ottawa,…

A wrongful death suit against the Los Angeles Police Department highlights the need for police to be properly trained in recognizing and interacting with children with autism.Mohammad Chaudhry, a twenty-eight year old Pakistani-American…

A Sarasota police officer has been fired for roughing up a special needs student on a school bus following an incident back in December. The video tape, which can be viewed below, shows Deputy Mark Perrin violently yanking a 17-year-old…