Wall Police Host Autism Advocate On An Educational Mission

WALL, NJ — Members of the Wall Township Police Department recently met with Alex Mann, a "civilian" from Pennsylvania who also happens to be a staunch law enforcement supporter.

Mann also happens to be on the autism spectrum.

And he has been making it his mission for the past few years to bring information to police departments about how to interact with members of the public who have intellectual or developments disabilities (IDD).

The Wall Township Police Department was his 336th stop across five states since he began his mission in 2018, the department noted on social media recently.

He met with Wall officers, received a tour of headquarters and checked out police vehicles, the department said.

Mann has been visiting police departments throughout New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland and California to spread autism awareness.

The department and many others in the county recently marked Autism Awareness Month in April. And education about autism is considered vital.

According to the Centers for Disease Control, autism affects an estimated 1 in 36 children in the United States today.

Autism, or autism spectrum disorder (ASD), refers to a broad range of conditions characterized by challenges with social skills, repetitive behaviors, speech and nonverbal communication, according to the Autism Speaks advocacy website.

There are many subtypes of autism, most influenced by a combination of genetic and environmental factors.

"Because autism is a spectrum disorder, each person with autism has a distinct set of strengths and challenges," the organization notes.