ASD Recognition, Response & Risk Management: BILLINGS

Dennis Debbaudt’s four hour instruction of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) Recognition, Response & Risk Management: High Risk Contacts with Autistic Individuals is for community and campus based law enforcement, school resource officers, sheriff’s deputies, MT DOJ investigators, FBI/other federal law enforcement personnel, emergency medical services (EMS) professionals, emergency call center/911 dispatchers, fire department, correctional facility personnel, judicial officers, juvenile justice or youth court, tribal law enforcement and tribal schools, public school administrators and personnel, and families of individuals with autism.

The training will focus on identification of individuals at varied independence levels, recognition & disclosure of autism spectrum disorder (ASD); communication tips, sensory and scene management tips; search and rescue of missing & vulnerable children and adults, development of vulnerable/voluntary informational data bases, search and rescue, suspicious persons contacts; persons in crisis emergencies with/aggression; use of force/custody; interview of autistic victim, witness or suspect, threat assessment and partnership opportunities with autism support organizations & related training policies.

Dennis Debbaudt is widely recognized as the leading international authority on autism and law enforcement training. For more than thirty years, he has dedicated his career to building safer, more effective, and more respectful interactions between autistic individuals and professionals in public safety, criminal justice, and education.

His work has reached law enforcement officers, emergency responders, educators, social service providers, correctional staff, and 911 professionals across the United States and around the world. Whether in live sessions, virtual training, or “train-the-trainer” programs, his instruction is memorable, practical, and sustainable. His guiding principle is simple but powerful: “everyone comes away with a good, practical understanding of effective and safe approaches when interacting with autistic individuals.”

In 1993, he published a groundbreaking report, Avoiding Unfortunate Situations, one of the first resources to highlight the challenges and dangers autistic people might face in encounters with police. This small booklet launched a career that would change the way law enforcement agencies across the globe respond to autistic individuals.

By 1999, Dennis was part of the Curriculum Review Team for the first-ever autism curriculum developed specifically for law enforcement, Why Law Enforcement Needs to Recognize Autism, created by the Maryland Police and Correctional Training Commissions. He went on to contribute to the Pennsylvania POST Field Guide (2001) on responding to people with mental illness and developmental disabilities.

Over the years, Dennis has designed and delivered training objectives, course outlines, and video-based curriculum used nationwide. His materials are known for blending lived experience with engaging video illustrations, making them highly impactful for frontline officers.

Dennis has trained and advised agencies at every level of public safety, including:

• Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)
• U.S. Department of Homeland Security at FLETC (Federal Law Enforcement Training Center)
• New York Police Department (NYPD)
• Chicago Police Department
• Houston Police Department
• Detroit Police Department
• North Carolina Department of Public Safety

His work has also reached international audiences, with training provided in Canada, the United Kingdom, New Zealand, Iceland, and Australia.

He was recognized by the International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP) for his contributions to their Training Keys on autism (2013). He also developed and maintained the NYPD Autism Trainer’s Guide (2008–2018) and served as a Subject Matter Expert for the Florida Department of Law Enforcement’s autism curriculum for both officers (2017) and 911 telecommunicators (2022).

Dennis has authored or co-authored influential books, reports, and research, including:

• Autism, Advocates, and Law Enforcement Professionals (2001) – a landmark book still in use today.
• Articles for the FBI Law Enforcement Bulletin, Eunice Kennedy Shriver Center, and Handbook of Autism Spectrum Disorder and the Law (2021).
• Contributions to organizations such as the Autism Society of America, Autism Europe, and the Organization for Autism Research (OAR).
• Co-author of a 2024 Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders research study on autism training for law enforcement.

His expertise has been sought by The New York Times, Associated Press, People Magazine, WIRED Magazine, HBO, and ABC’s 20/20, which consulted him for a report on autism and false confessions.

Dennis’s impact has been recognized repeatedly:

• Detroit Public Schools (2001) for advocacy efforts.
• Autism Society of America (2006) for leadership and contributions.
• Florida Atlantic University Center for Autism and Related Disabilities (2011) for training and advocacy.

Beyond his achievements, Dennis is known for his engaging presentation style. He connects deeply with his audiences, blending professional expertise, personal stories, and practical strategies that professionals can put to work immediately. His sessions help participants not only understand autism but also build confidence in responding safely and effectively to real-world situations—whether it is a missing child, a person in crisis, or an interview with an autistic victim, witness, or suspect.

The importance of Dennis Debbaudt’s contributions is simple: he has made our communities safer. Thanks to his training and advocacy, thousands of law enforcement officers and first responders now have the tools to recognize autism, communicate effectively, and de-escalate situations that could otherwise lead to tragic outcomes.

His work has shaped policy, influenced curriculum nationwide, and given autistic individuals and their families greater protection and understanding in critical moments.

Host or Publisher The Montana Autism Education Project