What police should consider when interacting with people with autism [Video]

Experts say compassion and understanding are critical when police encounter people with autism, as their responses and reactions are often misunderstood. It can also have serious consequences.

The comments come after a CTV News report on Soren Martin, a 48-year-old Cambridge, Ont. man with autism, who was arrested after a physical encounter with a jogger.

Soren’s father believes what happened on the morning of Sept. 18 was an accident. Glaspa Martin says Soren told him so, adding that his son doesn’t have a violent history. He also believes his son was likely focused on catching the bus that takes him to work when he ran into the jogger.

The Waterloo Regional Police Service report on the incident, however, states the jogger was trying to get out of Soren’s way when he bodychecked her, knocked her to the ground and then attempted to kick her.

After the encounter, Soren got on …