Preparing Students With Disabilities and Police for Successful Interactions

Abstract

Students with disabilities are likely to have contact with a police officer as either a victim or a perpetrator of a crime; however, media outlets often underreport the presence of a disability. The lack of acknowledgment of disabilities raises concerns regarding the ability of a police officer to support a person with a disability. Likewise, students need to be prepared to interact with the police. This article presents a general overview of a two-pronged training approach designed to promote positive interactions between students with disabilities and police officers.