The Fayetteville Police Department has earned the Certified Autism Center™ (CAC) designation granted by the International Board of Credentialing and Continuing Education Standards (IBCCES) to enhance officer and staff knowledge and ability to assist the autistic community or those with other sensory needs.

“We are excited to announce that the Fayetteville PD and IBCCES have partnered to provide a training program focused on autism and other sensory disorders for Fayetteville PD officers and staff. This training, along with our other racial and equity-based training, builds upon our vision to engage the best trained, equipped, and committed professionals who demonstrate the highest standards of performance and best policing practices to reduce crime, create partnerships and build trust while treating everyone with respect, compassion, and fairness,” said Gina V. Hawkins Chief of Fayetteville Police Department.

The IBCCES Law Enforcement training and certification program covers topics such as common signs or behaviors that someone may be autistic, empathy and understanding, sensory sensitivities, communication tips, safety concerns such as elopement and drowning, and other scenario-based best practices.  The goal of the program is to provide additional knowledge and strategies officers can utilize when encountering individuals in the community to assess, communicate, and de-escalate when possible.

“IBCCES is excited to see the dedication of the Fayetteville Police Department to increase their knowledge – this type of training can be helpful in both routine community engagement as well as, in some cases, life or death situations such as a lost child,” said Myron Pincomb, IBCCES Board Chairman.

For more than 20 years, IBCCES has been a leader in cognitive disorder training and certification for healthcare, education, and corporate professionals around the globe. IBCCES programs includes evidence-based content as well as the perspectives of autistic individuals, alongside other resources, ongoing support, and renewal requirements to ensure there is continued learning and a lasting impact. 

IBCCES also created CertifiedAutismCenter.com, as a free online resource for parents that lists certified locations and professionals. Each organization listed on the site has met Certified Autism Center™ (CAC) requirements.

About Fayetteville Police Department

The Fayetteville Police Department is a full-service law enforcement agency located in Fayetteville, NC. We are an internationally accredited law enforcement agency that serves a population of over 200,000 residents and encompasses 146 square miles. Located next to Fort Bragg, a large US Army installation, Fayetteville takes pride in the diversity and rich cultures that are brought to our community by service members and their families. We strive to serve based on our core values, Faith Pride and Dedication by always having Faith in service, Pride in Commitment and Dedication to Excellence.