“Be Safe Training” aims to create safe, positive interactions between these two groups
Sheppard Pratt Health System is teaming up with the Baltimore County Police Department and RISE for Autism to hold its third annual “Be Safe Training”, a program that teaches both police and individuals with special needs how to best interact in everyday encounters. The training program will take place at the Hannah More Campus of The Forbush School at Glyndon, one of Sheppard Pratt’s 14 special education day schools.
The training program—founded by RISE for Autism—uses the Be Safe video series, which shows real police officers interacting with special needs individuals in positive ways to reach appropriate outcomes. After watching these videos, students and law enforcement will partake in role-playing exercises to practice new communication techniques. Police officers participating in the program will have the opportunity to talk with students with special needs, and gain knowledge about how to best communicate with these individuals on a case-by-case basis.
“I believe that trainings like this help to foster a better sense of community between our students and law enforcement, and make a major impact on these children as they grow and enter into society,” said Chip Maust, Ed.D., Director of Schools for Sheppard Pratt Health System. “We thank the Baltimore County Police Department for their partnership on this important initiative, and look forward to continuing our work together to teach our students how to interact safely with police.”
“In 2017, over 40 Baltimore County Police Officers have been trained and participated in the BE SAFE program. The information and experiences gained from this program will provide Baltimore County officers with the skills to be able to understand and have a positive interaction with an individual with autism or other special needs. This program is an excellent complement to the training that our officers receive in their annual training,” said Baltimore County Police Chief Terrence B. Sheridan.
About Sheppard Pratt
Sheppard Pratt is the largest private, nonprofit provider of mental health, substance use, developmental disability, special education, and social services in the country. A nationwide resource, Sheppard Pratt provides services across a comprehensive continuum of care, spanning both hospital- and community-based resources. Since its founding in 1853, Sheppard Pratt has been innovating the field through research, best practice implementation, and a focus on improving the quality of mental health care on a global level. Sheppard Pratt has been consistently recognized as a top national psychiatric hospital by U.S. News & World Report for more than 30 years.