The government presented Tuesday, May 17 a device to improve the responsiveness of the police in the event of the disappearance of a person with autism or with an intellectual disability, a frequent scenario which can give rise to dramas.
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A circular was sent in April to all gendarmerie brigades and police stations to “
reaffirm the urgency
” of these situations, the interministerial delegation responsible for the strategy for autism said in a press release.
A person with an autistic or intellectual disorder is “
likely to get lost more easily
” and to “
put themselves in danger
”, especially since they may not be able to declare themselves lost and ask for directions.
It can be attracted to specific places, a body of water, a railway line, etc., hence a significant risk of drowning or train accident, the delegation underlined.
Report the disappearance as soon as possible
Recently, two young autistic people thus died after a disappearance, in 2019 and in 2021. However, police or gendarmes, like the whole of the population, have little or no knowledge of autism and do not always measure the urgency of the situation. , we explain in the entourage of the interministerial delegate, Claire Compagnon.
Whether the person is a minor or an adult, the search must be launched "
immediately
", and for their part, the families or reception establishments must not hesitate to report the disappearance as soon as possible.
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At the same time, caregivers and establishments are encouraged to complete an information sheet on the person they are accompanying in advance, with details that may prove decisive in the event of disappearance.
Does the person "
support physical contact
", does he have "
favorite places
" where he could take refuge, what are his "
atypical behaviors
", by what "
soothing gestures and words
" can one enter into contact with her?
"
In the event of disappearance, the relatives only have to add the last place where the person was seen and their dress for the day and to give the form to the gendarmes or the police
", who will thus be able "to
adapt their behavior and actions
“Once the person is located, explain the promoters of the device.
As an additional precaution, they point out, families can also “
equip their loved one with a suitable geolocation system
”.
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