Law Enforcement & Disability

Publications

ACLU’s Caged In – Report by the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) on Solitary Confinement’s Devastating Harm on Prisoners with Physical Disabilites.
Commonly Asked Questions: The Americans with Disabilites Act and Law Enforcement (PDF) – U.S. Department of Justice’s commonly asked questions about the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and law enforcement.
Criminal Justice and the ADA Legal Briefings – Legal brief from the Great Lakes ADA Center addressing criminal justice as it relates to people with disabilities.
ADA & Hiring Police Officers – Questions and answers about the ADA and hiring police officers created by the U.S. Department of Justice.
Communicating with People Who Are Deaf or Hard of Hearing – ADA guide for law enforcement officers when communicating with people who are deaf or hard of hearing created by the U.S. Department of Justice.
ADA Model Policy for Law Enforcement – The law enforcement model policy on communicating with people who are deaf or hard of hearing created by the U.S. Department of Justice.
DRT Client Story: George – George was isolated from connecting with his friends and family because the common area wasn’t accessible in the correctional facility he was staying in. However, The ADA states that State prisons must provide people with disabilities equal access to programs and services

IDD and Community Policing – This training was created by the Tennessee Department of Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities to train Tennessee law enforcement officers on interacting with people who have intellectual and developmental disabilities.
The Arc’s National Center on Criminal Justice & Disability, Trainings for Law Enforcement, First Reponders, and Corrections – A compiled list of law enforcement training resources.

The National Center for Victims of Crime Resource Directory for Service Providers – A resource directory for service providers in response to crime victims with disabilites.

Autism on Scene Response Cards – An on-scene handout that contains key communications and response information for first responders.
Rolling Hills Hospital: Nashville Police, Justice System Show Compassion Toward Mentally Ill – This article shares the story of law enforcement gaining understanding and learning how to better serve those who have mental illness.
ACLU: Police ‘Command and Control’ Culture is Often Lethal – Especially for People with Disabilities – Read more about the need for different training for police and the need for mental health professionals to be present during law enforcement scenes.
The Conversation Guide and Pathways to Justice Model – the National Center on Criminal Justice & Disability informs criminal justice professionals and service providers about disability-related training.
PoliceOne, Keys to Handling Suspects with Physical Disabilities – Article about training and making accommodations for suspects with physical disabilities.
ACLU Deaf Rights – Read more from the ACLU on Deaf rights and what to do when dealing with the police.