My cousin Ricky was a kind soul with autism. One day, during a mental health crisis, our family called for help but were met with restraint. Our family believes that a lack of appropriate understanding, training and resources, together with the use of physical force, contributed to his death. This heartbreaking incident underscores what we believe is a critical gap in law enforcement's approach to supporting neurodivergent individuals across England and Wales.

We are calling for mandatory specialist training for all police officers in autism awareness, mental health conditions, and neurodiversity to ensure that every individual is treated with understanding, dignity, compassion and respect.

People with autism and mental health difficulties may communicate, react to stress, or respond to authority differently. In situations involving fear, sensory overload, confusion, anxiety or distress, their behaviour can sometimes be misunderstood. What may appear to be non-compliance, aggression or suspicious behaviour could actually be a sign that someone is overwhelmed, frightened or struggling to communicate.

A lack of understanding can turn a situation that needs compassion into one that escalates unnecessarily.

Police officers are often the first point of contact during a crisis. They must have the knowledge and skills to recognise the signs of autism, understand mental health distress, communicate calmly and appropriately, and respond in a way that reduces fear and prevents avoidable escalation.

We believe that everyone deserves to feel safe when interacting with the police, regardless of their disability, neurotype or mental health condition. No person should be unfairly judged, criminalised or placed at greater risk simply because their condition is misunderstood.

We are therefore calling for:

Mandatory, ongoing training in autism, neurodiversity and mental health awareness for all police officers.
Practical training in recognising distress, sensory overload, communication differences and mental health crises.
Greater use of de-escalation techniques, patience and compassionate communication.
Meaningful involvement of autistic people, people with lived experience of mental health difficulties, their families and specialist professionals in designing and delivering training.
Clear procedures to ensure that vulnerable individuals receive appropriate support and reasonable adjustments when interacting with the police.
This petition is about preventing harm, protecting vulnerable people and building trust between communities and the police. Better training can help officers make informed decisions, reduce misunderstandings, improve safety for everyone and ensure that people in crisis receive the right response.

Autism is not a crime. Mental health difficulties are not a reason for someone to be treated without dignity. Distress should be met with understanding, not unnecessary confrontation.

We call on the relevant authorities and police leadership to take meaningful action and make this training a priority.

Understanding saves lives. Compassion makes communities safer. Every person deserves to be understood.

Police vehicles should carry sensory kits to help officers respond more effectively, compassionately and safely when dealing with people who may be experiencing sensory overload, distress or communication difficulties.

For autistic people, people with ADHD, people with learning disabilities, and individuals with sensory processing differences, a police encounter can be overwhelming. Flashing lights, loud sirens, unfamiliar voices and stressful environments can increase anxiety and make communication difficult. What may appear to be non-compliance or challenging behaviour could actually be a response to fear, confusion or sensory overload.

Having sensory kits readily available in police vehicles would support a more inclusive, person-centred approach to policing. It could help de-escalate potentially distressing situations, reduce misunderstandings and improve safety for both the public and officers.

Sensory kits are not a luxury; they are a practical step towards accessible and compassionate policing. By equipping police vehicles with these resources and training officers in their appropriate use, police forces can help ensure that neurodivergent people and others with sensory needs are treated with dignity, understanding and respect.

A small kit could make a significant difference to someone experiencing a very difficult moment. Every police vehicle should have the tools to help make that difference

Please sign this petition and share it widely to demand action from the authorities – because every wave of support brings us closer to change.