Montreal Police Launch Pilot Program to Improve Interactions with Autistic Individuals

In an effort to make police interventions safer and more effective for autistic individuals, the Service de police de la Ville de Montréal (SPVM) has partnered with Giant Steps School to roll out a new pilot project focused on understanding and communication.

The initiative allows families to voluntarily share essential information about an autistic loved one with police. These details are securely made available to emergency dispatchers and can be relayed to officers responding to a call, helping them adapt their approach from the very first moments of an intervention.

Montreal Police Chief Fady Dagher said the project is designed to reduce misunderstandings during high-stress situations, where communication challenges can quickly escalate.

“Honestly, it’s a huge gain for the police and for the population we service,” Dagher said. “This is about adapting, knowing and having a human approach, much more efficient to that population.”

Families who take part in the program can provide practical, day-to-day information, including preferred methods of communication, sensory sensitivities, and typical reactions to stressful situations. The goal is to give officers clearer guidance on how to speak, approach, and de-escalate when responding to incidents involving autistic individuals.

According to Alain Beaudoin, director of Giant Steps, participation is free and open to families connected with the school, which supports more than 180 autistic children and adults at the primary and secondary levels.

“The impact of a police intervention can create a lot of consequences bad and good,” Beaudoin said. “We have to create a link together. We are two unknown people who just linked together, so if we do it better at the beginning, it can help the autistic person and the family, too.”

At this stage, the pilot is limited to families affiliated with Giant Steps. However, both the SPVM and the school say the program will serve as a learning ground, with the possibility of expanding it more broadly in the future based on results and feedback.

The initiative reflects a growing push toward community-based policing and tailored responses, aiming to build trust while ensuring safety for some of the city’s most vulnerable residents.