Lakewood Police Department Unveils Innovative Autism Safety Roster

Officers from the Lakewood Police Department may now have a crucial advantage when responding to a call of a resident with autism who has wandered from home or experiencing a crisis situation.

The police department has unveiled its innovative Autism Safety Roster to promote communication and enable the police to have quick and relevant access to information about a person with autism.

“The Roster is for any person who either resides in, or attends school in, the city of Lakewood, who is affected with autism or any other related autism spectrum disorder,” said Lakewood Police Lt. Roger Warner, noting that the roster is for residents of any age. “Our goal as a police department is to keep Lakewood residents safe. The creation of this Autism Safety Roster fits within that objective.”

Once a person is registered, his or her information is placed into a searchable database in the Lakewood Police Department’s record management system. This information then becomes available to officers responding to a call for help or assistance with an autistic person.

When possible, a specially trained Crisis Intervention Team officer will be sent to the scene.

To register, an adult family member or guardian of an individual with autism (or related autism spectrum disorder) is encouraged to fill out the online form, located on the homepage of the city’s website: www.onelakewood.com.

“This registration and the resulting forward-thinking Autism Safety Roster highlight the leadership of the Lakewood Police Department,” said Lakewood Mayor Michael Summers. “Safety remains a No. 1 priority in Lakewood, and we’ve got creative and intelligent officers to help keep our entire community safe.”