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Unit 1: Understanding neurodiversity in the policing context

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Course: Neurodiversity in policing: practical strategies for public-facing officers and staff
Book: Unit 1: Understanding neurodiversity in the policing context
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Date: Saturday, 11 July 2026, 3:28 PM

Table of contents

Introduction

A photo taken from behind a person who is walking in the street wearing headphones over a hat and wearing a black coat.

This unit introduces you to the concept of neurodiversity and its relevance to policing. You’ll learn what neurodiversity means, explore the range of ways it can present in individuals and reflect on how these differences may affect interactions with police. 

You’ll also begin to identify how traditional policing approaches may unintentionally create barriers for a neurodiverse community, and why recognising and adapting to difference matters in a public-facing role. 

Unit 1 learning objectives 

By the end of Unit 1 you will be able to: 

  • define neurodiversity and explain its relevance in policing 
  • describe a range of neurodivergent traits and how they might affect behaviour and communication 
  • identify common challenges that neurodivergent individuals may experience during police interactions 
  • reflect on your own role in creating more inclusive encounters.

Session 1: What is neurodiversity?

Purpose of this session

During this session you will develop your knowledge around the concept of neurodiversity, building to a practical understanding of how neurodiversity shows up in real people, in real situations, without labels. 

An up close image of police lights lit up on the top of a police car against a black back drop

Neurodiversity recognises that no two brains work in exactly the same way. 

Some people experience the world in a different way due to differences in processing information and communication. Examples of these include: 

  • autism 
  • ADHD
  • dyslexia
  • dyspraxia
  • Tourette syndrome
  • other cognitive or processing differences.

People with these differences are often described as neurodivergent. 

These differences are not illnesses or behavioural choices. They are natural variations in how the brain works. 

Importantly: 

  • neurodivergence is often invisible
  • many individuals do not have a diagnosis
  • some choose not to disclose their differences
  • some may not understand their own reactions under stress.

Video activity 1

The following video features Phillipa Unett, a representative from Chuckle Productions – a non-profit organisation that aims to support neurodiverse children and young people. As you watch it, make a mental note of how the points that Phillipa highlights are familiar to you in your work.

  

Next you will consider why an understanding of neurodiversity is important in policing.

Why neurodiversity matters in policing 

Neurodiversity under pressure 

When a person who is neurodivergent is in contact with the police, the encounter may involve:  

  • authority
  • uncertainty
  • sensory overload
  • emotional stress
  • time pressure.

For neurodivergent individuals, these conditions can amplify existing difficulties. This can lead to the person displaying behaviours that, to a police officer, may appear to be: 

  • unusual
  • out of proportion
  • evasive
  • overly intense
  • non-compliant.

Key point: Behaviour in these moments is often a stress response, not intent. 

Recognising common indicators  

Neurodivergent traits vary widely. However, you may observe patterns that suggest someone is processing the situation differently. Let’s consider some of the more common neurodivergent traits. 

Common neurodivergent processing differences 

Process 

Common indicator to look for 

Information processing 

 
  • May not respond to simple questions
  • Answers a question from earlier in conversation
  • May struggle with rapid speech or multiple instructions
  • May freeze rather than ask for clarification 

Communication 

 
  • May have a literal interpretation of language
  • Difficulty with using and understanding implied meaning, tone or metaphor
  • Repetition of your own or their own words
  • May speak quickly
  • May give lots of detail or no detail at all  

Sensory experience 

 
  • Heightened sensitivity to noise (sirens, radios, custody environments), lighting, touch or proximity
  • Overload may trigger shutdown or emotional distress 

Emotional regulation 

 
  • Stress escalates more quickly
  • Emotional reactions may seem disproportionate
  • Recovery takes longer 

Physical signs 

 
  • Repetitive movements (such as moving backwards and forwards, pacing or flapping)
  • May not look you in the face
  • Fidgeting 
  • Hyper-focus on specific actions
  • Self-injurious behaviour 

Although the list of indicators shown above is not exhaustive, it is common to see these signs of neurodivergence. In the following reflection activity, you will consider some typical policing scenarios where an officer or staff member may encounter a neurodivergent person. 

Scenario considerations 

Use your learning journal to consider the three scenarios below. 

For all three pause and reflect on what you know now and how you might proceed: 

  • What actions or assumptions should you avoid in this moment?  

  • What do you think could be happening here?  

Scenario 1: Street encounter – repetitive behaviour 

While patrolling a street you notice a man pacing, avoiding eye contact and mumbling. When approached, he continues moving and doesn’t respond clearly. 

What do you think could be happening here? 

How will you response to this person’s actions? Pause and reflect on how you might proceed:

  • What calm, low-pressure approach could help the individual feel less threatened? 
  • What actions or assumptions should you avoid in this moment? 

Now you have worked through a reflective exercise, move onto the next scenario set in a police station and consider the same questions as you work through it. 

Scenario 2: Custody suite – shutdown response 

A young woman in custody initially appears calm. But when asked to remove her jewellery, she freezes, begins moving backwards and forwards, and stops responding. 

What might be happening? 

  • Literal interpretation of the request or confusion over unfamiliar instructions. 
  • Sudden sensory overwhelm or emotional stress.  

Pause and reflect: 

  • How could you rephrase or clarify your request in a more supportive way? 
  • What small changes in tone or pace might reduce anxiety? 
  • If someone becomes non-verbal, how could you still offer reassurance or check understanding? 

Not all contact with the public is face-to-face. Consider this scenario and answer the questions below. 

Scenario 3: Contact centre – escalating call 

A man repeatedly calls about the same issue, speaking rapidly and in detail. When interrupted, he becomes upset and says, ‘You’re not listening to me again!’ 

What might be happening? 

  • Repetitive speech as a coping strategy or attempt to stay regulated. 
  • Difficulty following conversational turns or interruptions. 
  • A strong need for reassurance, clarity or routine. 

Pause and reflect:  

  • How can you show that the caller is being heard while guiding the conversation effectively? 
  • What phrases or structure might reduce tension and build trust?

Reflective activity

Using your learning journal, think back to a time when someone’s behaviour in a public interaction seemed intense, confusing or overly anxious. 

Is it possible that neurodivergence played a part? 

This reflection is about opening up new ways to understand and respond.

Video activity 2

Now that you’ve thought about these scenarios, watch this video in which a police officer from Staffordshire talks about what signs and behaviours they look for when approaching someone who may be neurodivergent. How does their answer compare to the indicators that you’ve identified? 

 

How neurodivergent traits can lead to a stress response 

When a person is neurodivergent, their brain may process information, communication and sensory input differently. In policing environments, which are often fast‑paced and high‑pressure, this sensory overloading can quickly become overwhelming for the person. 

Some individuals may need extra time to understand or respond to what is being said. If instructions are given to them quickly, repeated in different ways or delivered all at once, they may struggle to keep up. They may freeze rather than ask you for clarification. This can appear as silence, delayed responses or confusion. 

Communication differences can also play a role in how a neurodivergent person in processing information. They may take language very literally, struggle to understand tone or implied meaning, or repeat words or questions. Repetition can be a coping strategy for neurodivergent individuals, helping them regulate emotions, process information and create a sense of predictability during stress. 

Many neurodivergent people are also more sensitive to their surroundings. Noise, bright lighting, physical touch or close proximity to another person can all contribute to making them feel overwhelmed by the situation. 

Neurodiversity: myths, reality and why it matters for officers 

Next, let’s have a look at some of the myths that are sometimes associated with neurodiversity. You may recognise some of these, from your own experiences or through conversations with others.  

Myth: Neurodivergent behaviour means someone is being difficult or disrespectful. 
Reality: Behaviour that seems unusual is often a stress or processing response. 
Why this matters: Misreading behaviour increases the risk of unnecessary confrontation, escalation and use of force. 

Myth: Silence, avoidance or delayed responses mean non‑compliance. 
Reality: These can be signs of overwhelm, processing delay or shutdown. 
Why this matters: Escalating force or pressure during a shutdown can increase distress and reduce cooperation, making situations harder to manage safely. 

 

Myth: Repetition, pacing or agitation signals threat. 
Reality: These behaviours are often self‑regulation strategies used to cope with stress or sensory overload. 
Why this matters: Interpreting self‑regulation as aggression may lead to premature restraint or control tactics, increasing risk to officers and the individual. 

 

Myth: You need a diagnosis before adapting your approach. 
Reality: You don’t need to label or diagnose – just observe and respond to what’s happening in front of you. 
Why this matters: Early, flexible adjustments support calmer interactions and better decision‑making under pressure. 

 

Myth: Adjusting your communication reduces authority or control. 
Reality: Clear, calm and consistent communication improves understanding and compliance. 
Why this matters: Better communication supports safer outcomes, reducing distress which will lead to fewer complaints and stronger professional judgement. 

Key message: Recognising neurodivergent stress responses helps you make more accurate decisions, de‑escalate earlier, and reduce risk – protecting both officer safety and public confidence.  

Gaining a deeper understanding of how to identify and communicate with a neurodivergent person during your police duties is not about: 

  • diagnosing members of the public
  • excusing criminal behaviour
  • lowering professional standards.

But it is about: 

  • interpreting behaviour more accurately
  • choosing safer, calmer responses
  • preventing avoidable escalation. 

Reflective activity: Interpretation and first impressions

Take a few minutes to reflect on the questions below and record your thoughts in your learning journal. 

Think about how you usually decide what someone’s behaviour means during an interaction whilst you are on duty. Write a few lines relating to each of these questions below. They’re not a test; they’re intended to help you think more clearly about neurodiversity and your role in policing. 

  • What behaviours do you personally find most difficult to interpret or tolerate under pressure (for example silence, repetition, avoiding eye contact, pacing or emotional reactions)? 
  • In the past, what explanations have you tended to default to for these behaviours (e.g. defiance, intoxication, lack of cooperation)? 
  • Having completed this session, what alternative explanations might you now consider? 

Now reflect on your role: 

  • How might your first interpretation of behaviour influence the tone, speed or direction of an interaction? 
  • What risks are created if stress responses are misread as intent or attitude? 

Finally, think ahead: 

  • What is one behaviour you will consciously pause before judging in future interactions? 
  • How might that pause change the outcome for the individual – and for you? 
  • This reflection is not about changing what you do immediately, but about changing how you interpret behaviour before making decisions. 

Key takeaways  

  • Behaviour that seems unusual may simply reflect someone processing the world differently. 
  • Recognising possible neurodivergent traits can help you de-escalate situations before they become serious. 
  • Remember, you don’t need to label or diagnose, just stay open to adapting your approach.  

Session 2: Why neurodiversity awareness is important in policing

A black and white image of a person with their hands on on their head from a slightly blurred perspective

As a police officer or staff member you make daily decisions under pressure, often with limited information and in fast-moving situations. 

Those decisions shape people’s experiences of the police, especially for individuals who may already feel misunderstood or marginalised. 

For neurodivergent individuals, interactions with police can be particularly high-risk. That’s not because of bad intent, but because of: 

  • mismatched communication styles
  • sensory challenges
  • differences in how they process instructions or stress. 

When these aren’t recognised, the consequences can be serious for the individual, for the officers involved and for public confidence in policing. 

Awareness of neurodiversity helps you to:  

  • avoid misjudging behaviour 
  • de-escalate more effectively 
  • communicate with clarity and care 
  • build trust in moments that matter 
  • keep yourself and the public safer. 

Policing and public trust: a two-way relationship  

Policing relies on public co-operation and confidence, and these are more likely to grow if the police and public communicate positively. When interactions go well, people are more likely to:  

  • report crimes 
  • engage in investigations 
  • comply with directions 
  • feel protected, not targeted. 

  But when anyone (especially from marginalised or misunderstood groups) experiences policing as dismissive, harsh or unfair, it may lead to:  

  • distrust and avoidance 
  • reduced reporting and cooperation 
  • heightened fear, especially during public-facing interactions 
  • viral complaints and community-level backlash. 

  Neurodivergent individuals and their families or carers have shared their negative police experiences. This includes where their behaviour was misunderstood, dismissed or escalated unnecessarily.  

What happens when we misinterpret neurodivergent behaviour?  

Neurodivergent individuals are particularly vulnerable in: 

  • street encounters
  • custody suites
  • interview rooms
  • public order situations
  • call-handling and online contact.

This is because these environments often include: 

  • noise
  • bright lights
  • physical proximity
  • unclear instructions
  • power imbalance.

Each of these situations increase the chance of unintentional escalation between the police and the neurodivergent person. 

Reflective activity

Using your learning journal, think about some of the environments and situations you regularly work in. For example, public spaces, custody areas, interview rooms or phone contact.

  1. Which features of these environments (such as noise, lighting, pace, proximity or unclear instructions) could increase stress for a neurodivergent person?
  2. How might that stress affect their behaviour, communication or ability to engage with you?
  3. What risk does this create for misunderstanding, escalation or loss of trust if it is not recognised? 

Finish by noting one aspect of your working environment that you will now be more alert to when engaging with members of the public. 

This reflection is about awareness, not self‑criticism. Noticing risk factors early supports better decision‑making under pressure. 

Now let’s look at some common policing scenarios and the risks that they carry if neurodivergence isn’t recognised.

Behaviour 

Possible interpretation 

Possible explanation 

Avoiding eye contact 

Evasion, dishonesty 

Anxiety, sensory overload, cognitive processing load, emotional state, trauma or stress, power imbalance 

Speaking too fast 

Evasive, suspicious 

Thinking faster than they can speak, maintain focus, to ensure they are able to get all the information out 

Going off topic 

Lying, evasive 

Context building, differences in thinking style, difficulty prioritising information, working memory differences 

Hood up 

Indicator of hostility, deception or intent 

Sensory regulation, trauma response, anxiety and acts as comfort

Mumbling 

Indicate deception, intoxication or disrespect 

Sensory regulation, difficulties with anxiety, speech or motor control issues; processing speed differences or volume regulation

Silence or delayed response 

Non-compliant, disrespectful 

Processing time differences, auditory processing differences, language formation differences, shutdown 

Repetitive movement or pacing 

Agitation, threat 

Emotional-regulation, sensory regulation, focus and concentration, stress (stimming) 

Repeated questioning 

Challenging authority 

Seeking reassurance under stress, processing or memory differences, literal thinking, need for predictability

If a police officer notices any of these behaviours and misinterprets them, it may lead to a break in trust from the neurodivergent person towards the police. And once trust is broken with someone who is neurodivergent, it can be hard to rebuild it again. 

The impact of not adapting 

Police may encounter neurodivergent individuals as victims, witnesses, callers for help or suspects, and often at moments of heightened vulnerability. If we do not recognise and adapt our responses it could impact on the individual and our interaction with them in the professional context in a number of ways: 

  • increased fear of police or professionals
  • difficulty disclosing experiences in a way that feels understood
  • heightened trauma or shutdown during questioning
  • withdrawal from investigations or safeguarding processes
  • reluctance to seek help again, even when at risk
  • misunderstanding behaviour at these moments can result in lost evidence, missed safeguarding opportunities and continued harm. 

Potential impact on policing and safeguarding outcomes include:

  • missed or misjudged vulnerability indicators
  • incomplete or unreliable victim or witness accounts due to distress
  • reduced engagement with investigations or protective processes
  • increased complaints, scrutiny and reputational damage
  • higher demand from repeat incidents that could have been resolved earlier
  • increased workload due to preventable escalation 
  • missed opportunities to de-escalate early 
  • damaged community relationships and morale. 
 

Reflective activity

Take a few minutes to reflect on the questions below and record your thoughts in your learning journal. 

Think about a recent interaction where you had to make decisions quickly, with limited information. This could involve a victim, witness, caller or suspect, and may have taken place in a busy or pressured environment. 

  • What assumptions did you make about the person’s behaviour at the time?
  • Could sensory factors (noise, lighting, crowding), communication differences or stress have influenced how they behaved or responded to you?
  • How confident were you that the person fully understood what was being asked of them?
  • If neurodivergence had been a factor, how might this have affected their experience of the interaction? 

Now consider the wider impact: 

  • How might this interaction influence that person’s future willingness to seek help, report crime or cooperate with police?
  • What risks are created for public trust when behaviour is misunderstood in high‑pressure environments? 

Finally, reflect forwards: 

  • What is one thing you could notice earlier or do differently in a similar situation to reduce the risk of misunderstanding or escalation? 

This activity isn’t about judging past decisions; it’s about strengthening awareness and supporting better decision‑making in fast‑moving situations. 

Session 3: Reflection and conclusion

This week’s final session gives you the chance to pause, reflect and consolidate what you’ve learned so far. 

You've explored how neurodivergence can shape individual experiences and behaviours, and how everyday policing environments and communication styles may unintentionally create barriers for neurodivergent individuals. 

This session isn’t about assessment. It’s about helping you reflect on how this learning connects to your role, and how you might apply it in real interactions. Even small adjustments can make a big difference. 

What you’ve learned in this unit 

In this unit you have:

  • developed an understanding of what neurodiversity means
  • learned how this understanding benefits both the individual and yourself as an officer/staff member in communicating effectively
  • recognised a variety of behaviours that may indicate someone is neurodivergent 
  • reflected on the ways that policing environments (such as custody suites, public events or phone interactions) can unintentionally cause stress, anxiety or confusion  

Reflective activity: Your role, your impact 

Take a few moments to think about the questions below. You can make notes in your learning journal, discuss them with a colleague (if appropriate) or revisit them later in the course.

  • What surprised you most about this unit’s content? Did anything challenge your assumptions or give you a new perspective? 
  • Have you experienced situations similar to the scenarios shared? If yes, what did you do at the time, and what might you do differently now? 
  • What parts of your role are most likely to involve contact with neurodiverse individuals? Could changes to your language, pace or environment help with this? 
  • What obstacles or limitations (e.g. time, stress, organisational culture) might make it harder to apply this learning? How could you work around them? 
  • What one change, however small, could you make right now to create more inclusive and respectful interactions? 

Learning checklist 

Consider everything you now know to help you feel more confident about the following: 

  • I can explain what neurodiversity is.
  • I can list a range of neurodivergent behaviours and how they may affect communication and behaviour. 
  • I can identify potential barriers in public-facing policing environments. 
  • I am prepared to continue learning and adjust my practice. 

Neurodiversity is a complex subject and you are not expected to fully understand at this stage how you and your role fits with it. Hopefully you feel more confident about your understanding of neurodiversity.

In the next unit we move from awareness to action. 

Next steps: Unit 2 preview 

In Unit 2 you’ll explore: 

  • how to use clear, inclusive language under pressure
  • how to recognise signs of overload or shutdown 
  • what to say (and what to avoid) when someone seems distressed or unresponsive 
  • simple strategies and practical tips to reduce anxiety and build cooperation.