Jerry Turning: From Officer to Advocate: One Dad's Mission to Bridge the Gap

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Jerry Turning shares his journey from veteran police officer to autism advocate after his son's diagnosis, creating Blue Bridge Autism Training to educate first responders about autism.

His unique perspective bridges the gap between law enforcement and the autism community, helping prevent dangerous misunderstandings during crisis situations.

• Turning spent 22 of his 25-year police career as a canine handler before his son's autism diagnosis changed everything

• Police often misinterpret autism behaviors as intoxication, evasiveness, or defiance due to lack of training

• Turning teaches officers to recognize autism indicators like stimming, echolalia, and sensory challenges

• First responders need to understand they're entering high-stress environments where families may struggle to communicate clearly

• Registration systems allow families to pre-record information about triggers and de-escalation techniques

• Parents should proactively introduce their autistic children to local police during calm periods

• Simple community connections often prove more effective than formal training alone

• Both police and families benefit from approaching these situations with humility and openness

Tell everyone everywhere about Why Not Me? The World, the conversations we're having and the inspiration our guests give to everyone everywhere that you are not alone in this world.

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