Photo provided by the Michigan State Police
State police outfit vehicles with calming kits to help people with autism
METRO DETROIT April is Autism Awareness Month, and the Michigan State Police is joining with other law enforcement agencies to not only raise awareness about autism, but also include new calming bags in their patrol vehicles.
The calming bags will be given out to people on the autism spectrum or their families, if desired. They are designed to help people with autism cope with the often stressful nature of interacting with first responders.
“With any community that we want to reach out to, there are communication barriers,” explained Lt. Sarah Krebs, of the Michigan State Police. “This is one of the ways to bridge that gap with the autistic community. We want to train our officers to recognize common signs of autism and how to interact with them in constructive, positive ways. Bright lights and loud sirens can be intimidating to an autistic child, and if w
Apr 1, 2021
Give the Michigan State Police credit for trying to get ahead of addressing calls for service that may involve a person with autism.
It’s called Action for Autism and it’s a program which provides training on autism awareness and equips officers with calming bags to carry in their patrol vehicles to provide support in stressful situations involving someone with autism spectrum disorder, or ASD.
What’s a calming bag, you ask? Simply a bag the officer carries in his or her vehicle that contain fidget spinners, stress balls, teddy bears and therapeutic silicone items that can be chewed.
SW MI State Police Troopers Join 'Action for Autism' Movement club937.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from club937.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
Cheboygan Daily Tribune
PETOSKEY Hear first hand about the work of a forensic artist, Thursday, Feb. 18 at the Petoskey District Library.
Forensic art is any art that aids in the apprehension or conviction of a criminal offender or helps identify unknown deceased persons. Michigan State Police Lieutenant Sarah Krebs will discuss her experience at 7 p.m. on Thursday, Feb. 18.
Detective Krebs will explain how her evidence-based drawings and three-dimensional reconstructions aid in the investigation of unidentified remains, the apprehension of suspects, and the resolution of missing person cases.
Sarah Krebs is a graduate of Michigan State University’s Anthropology Program and has spent her nearly 20-year career with the Michigan State Police, most of which has been in investigations, heading the Missing Persons Unit.