Intersectionality: Including Disability In the Police Use-of-Force Discussion

Yesterday the Ruderman Family Foundation published their White Paper on Media Coverage of Law Enforcement Use of Force and Disability. I have been working with Lawrence Carter-Long on this for months, tracking hundreds of newspaper stories. We see disability as a missing piece in so many of the critical conversations about police use-of-force and hope … Continue ReadingIntersectionality: Including Disability In the Police Use-of-Force Discussion

More “Special Rights” for “Special Needs”

Yesterday I wrote about an ID Card for autistic drivers, with links to similar stories. Now we have “autistic wrist bands.” These are well intentioned efforts to stop police from hurting neurodiverse people. There’s a better way, though, and that’s to train police not to hurt people who aren’t causing active threats. As always, I … Continue ReadingMore “Special Rights” for “Special Needs”

Three Bills In Florida on Police and Disability

There are three new bills working their way through the Florida legislature on policing and disability. One of the interesting things about disability is that even people who refuse to consider most structural reforms to policing and reject the #BlackLivesMatter movement are still willing to push for reforms when it comes to disability. That’s actually … Continue ReadingThree Bills In Florida on Police and Disability

Simulating Police Training – What’s the pedagogy here?

My friend RC alerted me to this piece on a police training simulator for learning how to reduce misuse of force when encountering autistic people or people with various mental disabilities. It touts the virtues of the virtual playback versus role-playing-based training. Through the simulator, deputies are immersed in true-to-life scenarios — exactly the kind … Continue ReadingSimulating Police Training – What’s the pedagogy here?

#SayTheWord

There’s a new hashtag campaign around saying the word “disability.” It is initiated and led by my friend and writing companion Lawrence Carter-Long. I am wildly in favor. I am trying, in my writing this year, to write the sentence: “There are no special needs, only needs” as often as possible. We all have needs. … Continue Reading#SayTheWord

#CripTheVote: Where Disability Could Have Fit in the Democratic Debate

Until last week, neither Sanders nor Clinton used the word “disability” at most rarely. Then, in her close to the final debate in New Hampshire, Clinton concluded her remarks as follows: You know, we didn’t get to talk about the continuing struggles that Americans face with racism, with sexism, with discrimination against the LGBT community, … Continue Reading#CripTheVote: Where Disability Could Have Fit in the Democratic Debate