HARRISBURG, PA — The PA State Police is distributing informational cards that people with autism can use to alert officers that they have autism and may be nonverbal, sensitive to touch, and unresponsive to commands.

Chester County native Alex Mann, who is on the autism spectrum, has visited more than 400 law enforcement agencies in Pennsylvania to talk about how police officers can better serve people with autism. “It’s crucial for law enforcement to know about people on the spectrum because, first of all, there’s one in 36 children being diagnosed nowadays,” Mann recently told the Capitol Police in Harrisburg. “And because it can look like they may be, you know, resistant or violent, or, you know, under the influence of something. But really, that could be their way, honestly, of just coping.”

Colonel Christopher Paris, the state police commissioner, said it was crucial to create safer interactions through better communication.

The cards were developed by state police’s Office of Community Engagement and are available on its Safety Resources page. They can be printed or saved on a phone. Troopers will also distribute the cards at community events.