Fayetteville Police Department Becomes Autism Certified To Better Assist The Community

The Fayetteville Police Department has earned the Certified Autism Center™ (CAC) designation granted by the International Board of Credentialing and Continuing Education Standards (IBCCES) to enhance officer and staff knowledge and ability to assist the autistic community or those with other sensory needs.

“We are excited to announce that the Fayetteville PD and IBCCES have partnered to provide a training program focused on autism and other sensory disorders for Fayetteville PD officers and staff. This training, along with our other racial and equity-based training, builds upon our vision to engage the best trained, equipped, and committed professionals who demonstrate the highest standards of performance and best policing practices to reduce crime, create partnerships and build trust while treating everyone with respect, compassion, and fairness,” said Gina V. Hawkins Chief of Fayetteville Police Department.

The IBCCES Law Enforcement training and certification program covers topics such as common signs or behaviors that someone may be autistic, empathy and understanding, sensory sensitivities, communication tips, safety concerns such as elopement and drowning, and other scenario-based best practices.  The goal of the program is to provide additional knowledge and strategies officers can utilize when encountering individuals in the community to assess, communicate, and de-escalate when possible.

“IBCCES is excited to see the dedication of the Fayetteville Police Department to increase their knowledge – this type of training can be helpful in both routine community engagement as well as, in some cases, life or death situations such as a lost child,” said Myron Pincomb, IBCCES Board Chairman.

For more than 20 years, IBCCES has been a leader in cognitive disorder training and certification for healthcare, education, and corporate professionals around the globe. IBCCES programs includes evidence-based content as well as the perspectives of autistic individuals, alongside other resources, ongoing support, and renewal requirements to ensure there is continued learning and a lasting impact.

IBCCES also created CertifiedAutismCenter.com, as a free online resource for parents that lists certified locations and professionals. Each organization listed on the site has met Certified Autism Center™ (CAC) requirements.

About IBCCES

Delivering The Global Standard For Training and Certification in The Field of Cognitive Disorders – IBCCES provides a series of certifications that empower professionals to be leaders in their field and improve the outcomes for the individuals they serve. These programs are recognized around the world as the leading benchmark for training and certification in the areas of autism and other cognitive disorders.