The puzzle pieces were falling into place for the Autism Society of the Keys (ASK) and its unprecedented partnership with the Key West Police Department.
Six police cars were wrapped with the society’s puzzle-piece logo. Police horses have blankets with the logo. Officers could wear blue badges (the color of autism awareness) in April. And Chief Sean Brandenburg had ensured that all 94 officers were skillfully trained to recognize autism, a spectrum disorder that varies in severity and symptoms, but now affects one in 59 people.
The society had events and fundraisers planned for Autism Awareness Month in Key West and Marathon.
But that was back in February, before coronavirus closed the country, covered our faces and kept the community apart.
But the commitment of Brandenburg and Lt. Matt Haley, whose 13-year-old daughter is autistic, continues despite the pandemic.
Haley’s wife, Hope, is heavily involved in ASK, the Keyswide support group started by Craig and Jill Campbell for parents of autistic children. Hope Haley has worked tirelessly with her husband and the police chief to increase awareness, education and acceptance for children who often act differently and respond unpredictably to stimuli such as loud noises and flashing lights.
In addition to training all officers to recognize and better handle autism, Brandenburg created a method for parents to register their address and alert police to the presence of an autistic child at an address.
“It’s entirely voluntary,” Brandenburg said, but for parents who want to participate, the KWPD can “flag” their address in its dispatch software and include notes about a child’s triggers. “That way, if a 911 call comes for that address, the responding officers will see specific notes about the child, and the police perhaps can approach without sirens and flashing lights, which can cause seizures in some people on the autism spectrum,” Hope Haley said.
Brandenburg also agreed to keep all five police cars used by school resource officers in Key West schools wrapped with the society’s logo.
“We’ve seen that it works, the training and the recognizable cars,” Brandenburg said. “So we’re happy to continue it.”
Matt Haley witnessed firsthand the efficacy of the designated police cars when a man with autism wrecked his bike on North Roosevelt Boulevard near the autism-marked patrol car Haley was driving.
“He wasn’t seriously injured, but was having trouble explaining what had happened,” Haley recalled. “He saw the puzzle pieces on my car and approached me, saying, ‘I saw the puzzle and knew you’d understand.'”
But he didn’t know just how familiar Haley is with autism.
His daughter bolts when startled or upset. She’s a skilled artist, but struggles with verbal communication and social skills.
“People on the spectrum exhibit all sorts of behaviors, called stimming,” Hope Haley said. “They’ll flail their hands or hit themselves or others. Our daughter will just run away at top speed when alarmed.”
Untrained police often mistake these stimming behaviors as drug-induced behavior, Hope Haley said, which is why the police training is so crucial.
The Haleys and Brandenburg are committed to continuing the department’s relationship with ASK despite the global interruption of the pandemic.
Events will be rescheduled and the society meets virtually every month. When in-person meetings resume, Campbell hosts a monthly meeting in each region of the Keys.
The Autism Society of the Keys is also a priceless resource for parents who often need tools to help their children, such as fidget toys to direct focus, headphones to block loud noise or iPads to help them concentrate. Campbell, Hope Haley and the society have helped dozens of local families obtain these tools through donations and sponsorships. Campbell also has arranged and financed summer camps for kids with special needs as well as medical appointments with specialists.
Local businesses have sponsored the wrapped police cars and the Rotary Club of Key West is donating a collection of “sensory kits” containing helpful items.
Haley, the police department and Signs Unlimited are also selling items such as KWPD iron-on patches, stickers and collectible coins that bear the society’s logo. The items are for sale at the police station Tuesday through Saturday, and Hope Haley sells them through eBay.
