Local officer’s peaceful de-escalation of tense situation leads to friendship with autistic man

Good News Notes:

Amidst national scrutiny surrounding law enforcement, a local police officer is getting attention for all of the right reasons.

20-year-old Max Turpin recently got a brand new bike donated to him by the charity Variety. It’s a special custom-made bike because Max is autistic.

Over the weekend he took his new wheels for a spin alongside his mom and grandparents. However, it didn’t end as planned.

His parents Jessica and Lorenzo Falcone say he started to ride into a dangerous spot. When Jessica told him to turn around he began to get upset.

“It was getting to the point where it wasn’t safe. He became agitated with me for telling him no,” Jessica Falcone said.

That’s when Officer Carlos Rodriguez with the Susquehanna Regional Police Department showed up, by accident.

“Had it not been for me turning on the wrong street when I meant to go down a different street to go down to the riverfront, I would’ve never met him,” Rodriguez said.

At first it didn’t go well and Max started hitting Officer Rodriguez.

“We’re like ‘oh man this is like an autistic parent’s worst fear’. He would’ve been well within his rights as an officer to handcuff him or do something else with him,” Lorenzo Falcone said.

“Because Max is an adult, and we’ve been telling him that. He’s an adult and you’re striking an officer. But when he’s in meltdown, he’s autistic. He doesn’t understand, he doesn’t know.” Jessica Falcone said.

Instead, he calmly steered him back on track.”

View the whole story here: https://www.abc27.com/news/local/local-officers-peaceful-de-escalation-of-tense-situation-leads-to-friendship-with-autistic-man/

 

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