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Cottage Grove Boy Asks Lawmakers To Increase Autism Training For Police

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- A 10-year-old Cottage Grove boy hopes Minnesota lawmakers answer his call for enhanced training for first responders who deal with people with autism.

The shooting of Philando Castile by a St. Anthony Police officer made Andrew Brundidge ask questions. He wanted to know: What if his brother Daniel, who cannot speak, was approached by an officer and could not respond -- would he be shot and killed?

So Andrew wrote a letter to the governor about his concerns. That letter got the attention of another lawmaker.

Andrew wants everyone to know about his siblings, especially lawmakers he believes can help his cause. Andrew's siblings all have autism. The youngest, Daniel, cannot speak.

He's concerned an encounter with police could end tragically if first responders are not taught how to deal with people with autism. So he wrote a letter to Governor Dayton.

"If an officer asks Daniel and question and he can't answer will they shoot him because he didn't respond? I will not let him die because of that," Andrew said.

The letter got the attention of Senator Kari Dziedzic.

"When I read the blurb about the letter he had sent the governor, it was actually a bill that I had last year," Senator Dziedzic said.

"We're talking about the emergency responder bill so that officers get better training to deal with people with special needs," Andrew said.

Senator Dziedizc says the bill passed in the Senate and it was included in the supplement bill but was not heard in the House, so it wasn't included in the final package.

"There is some training, and we feel it can go a little further. It doesn't reach everybody," Dziedzic said.

St. Paul has a program call Cops Autism Response Education, led by an officer who has two children with autism. Sen Dziedizc wants enhanced training offered to all officers. Andrew believes this type of training will be vital in saving the lives of innocent people.

"Somebody has to speak up for him and the police should know how to deal with him since he has autism," Andrew said.

This specialized training to help officers deal with people with autism is ongoing in St. Paul. Minneapolis has some officers trained so does Wright County.

Senator Dziedzc hopes to get the bill passed and find funding to make the training available to all.

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