New legislation has been enacted to train police in Rhode Island to recognize and respond appropriately in situations involving people with cognitive or communication-related disabilities.
The law requires the Police Officers Commission on Standards and Training to provide the instruction that will help officers safely de-escalate a crisis.
“It is extremely important for everyone’s safety that police know how to respond to calls involving someone with a cognitive or communications disability,” said Representative Cortvriend “Some individuals with these conditions can become overwhelmed or panicked in emergencies or when confronted, and that can escalate a situation and result in misunderstandings and tragedies. In situations where the person is a witness, police need to know how to respond in the most constructive way for the benefit of the investigation. Sometimes a disability or an inability to clearly communicate can be misinterpreted as suspicious or criminal behavior, or as deliberate refusal to cooperate. There are also times when the person who calls the police has already misunderstood a disability for a suspicious activity, and if the police are given that information and aren’t well equipped to recognize the difference, the individual can be in serious danger. Police encounters with members of the disabled community are extremely common, so police training should absolutely include information to help them in these situations. Disabled Rhode Islanders deserve to be understood and be safe, and police deserve to be better equipped to help and protect them.”
State Representative Terri Cortvriend, one of the bill's sponsors, says disabled Rhode Islanders deserve safety and to be understood.
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