DIDD Continues Law Enforcement Outreach and Education

NASHVILLE—The Department of Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (DIDD) continues its work to make connections with law enforcement across the state while educating officers and deputies how to better understand and work effectively with people with disabilities in their communities.

The department has provided training to more than 100 law enforcement agencies either through direct training sessions with officers and deputies or in group events for training officers.

The DIDD training is designed to expose officers to unique issues faced by Tennesseans with an intellectual disability and to give them new tools to use when they encounter people with disabilities in the community.  An estimated 2% of Tennesseans have an intellectual disability.

“One of the key elements we cover in the training is recognizing the presence of a disability,” said Bruce Davis, Ph.D., DIDD Director of Behavioral and Psychological Services.  “If an officer can quickly identify the presence of a disability, by noticing physical features, behavioral responses, or cognitive deficits, it can completely change the way they approach the situation.”

The training also looks at the DIDD Protection From Harm system and how it can aid criminal investigators when someone supported by the department is a crime victim.

Dr. Davis recently completed a pair of year-long training series with the Tennessee Highway Safety Training Center at Columbia State Community College and the Williamson County Sheriff’s Office.  Additionally, DIDD presented twice to training officers with the Tennessee Law Enforcement Training Officers Association.  The TBI, TEMA, Clarksville Police, Greeneville Police, White County Sheriff’s Office, and the Knoxville Airport Public Safety Department received DIDD training in separate sessions.

Edited video of Dr. Davis talking about the training: https://youtu.be/HOdRKE-rm4E

Raw video of Dr. Davis talking about the training: https://youtu.be/CS0mgWjmwto