Neurodivergent residents help shape future policing in first-of-its-kind scrutiny event

People living with autism and other neurodiverse conditions, and those with caring responsibilities have shared their reflections of policing as part of a unique scrutiny event. 

Hosted by staff from the Police and Crime Commissioner’s office, in partnership with Cambridgeshire Constabulary, health and social care champion Healthwatch and UK advocacy charity, VoiceAbility, the event brought together people with lived experience of autism to review real life body-worn video footage of police interactions involving people with disabilities.

Supported by Caitlin Bones and Inspector Colin Norden from the Constabulary, those attending were encouraged to share their honest reflections on how police officers carried out their powers when engaging with people with disabilities. They were also invited to ask any questions they had about the footage to strengthen their own knowledge of how policing works. 

Ensuring everyone living in Cambridgeshire and Peterborough has a voice in policing is a key priority for Police and Crime Commissioner, Darryl Preston who actively supports a culture within the Constabulary that is inclusive, diverse and reflective of the community it serves.  

“Hearing directly from people with lived experience of autism provides us with invaluable insight into how police encounters are perceived and how improvements can be made,” said the Commissioner.  

“These events are about building trust, increasing understanding and ensuring our services are fair and inclusive. Thank you to all who attended and provided such valuable feedback.” 

 VoiceAbility member, Sean added: “This was a very interesting and informative session. The videos were very interesting to watch. The police explained everything well and I felt they listened to my feedback.” 

Lucy Kennedy, Partnership Board Project Manager from Healthwatch said: “Having the opportunity to review police camera footage of interactions with disabled members of the public was an incredibly interesting experience and we felt heard by everyone involved.   

“We were pleased to be able to support those attending to inform police practice and training and are delighted that, as a result of the event, one of our members is planning to become a regular volunteer for the Community Scrutiny Panel.” 

Key learnings from the event included: 

• The potential for flashing emergency lights to heighten anxiety/trigger responses. 

• The importance of calm, sensory-aware communication. 

• Consideration of plain-clothes attendance at incidents where appropriate. 
• Greater awareness of the ‘Right Care, Right Person’ model, ensuring people in mental health crisis receive support from the most appropriate agency.  

Caitlin Bones added: “As a result of the feedback received, we are able to positively review our current practices when responding to people with disabilities, to remove the potential for misunderstandings and promoting sensory-aware, calm communication approaches”.   

For more information about how the Commissioner ensures independent scrutiny of the way police officers carry out their duties visit: Community Scrutiny Panel.