Police Conducting Mock Traffic Stops To Help Those With Autism

SIMSBURY, CT — Police from several area towns are collaborating on a special program designed to help people with autism navigate the potentially stressful situation of a traffic stop.

As a result, officers from Simsbury, Avon, Bloomfield, Canton, Granby, Farmington, and West Hartford will be on hand Saturday, June 21, for a unique event in Simsbury.

It will take place at Westminster School, 995 Hopmeadow St., Simsbury, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturday, June 21.

There, police will conduct mock traffic stops for drivers and passengers with autism, providing both those with autism and their caregivers with experience should they encounter one for real.

"It is a great opportunity for individuals with autism (as a driver or passenger in a vehicle) to experience and practice police traffic stops in a controlled environment, while fostering positive interactions between police officers and individuals with autism," wrote Simsbury Police Chief Nicholas Boulter in a statement.

This event is a collaboration with the Southern Connecticut State University Center of Excellence on Autism Spectrum Disorders and the SCSU police department, as well as departments from the aforementioned towns.

Boulter said a prior event in 2023 at Tunxis Community College in Farmington proved to be quite successful.

For more information on mock traffic stops for those with autism, click on this link.