# When the Lights Flash: What Police Departments and Policymakers Owe Our Autism Community *A Caregivers Academy Perspective* Every caregiver of an autistic loved one has rehearsed the scenario in their mind: the traffic stop, the wellness check, the 911 call from a neighbor who misread a meltdown. We know that a moment of miscommunication between an officer and an autistic person can escalate in seconds — not because anyone intended harm, but because no one was prepared. Pre