Unit 1: Understanding neurodiversity in the policing context

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.