SALT LAKE CITY (ABC4) – The shooting of a 13-year-old boy with Asperger’s Syndrome by an officer last September, with the great support of a Utah jazz player, sparked changes in the Salt Lake City police and fire departments.
Filming Linden Cameron has had an emotional impact on many people, including Joe Ingles and his wife, Renae, who know all about the challenges of raising a son on the autism spectrum.
Ingles has been lighting it for jazz since 2014. In 2016, Jacob and his twin sister Mila were born, and the Ingleses were very open to their son’s condition.
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“When Jacob was two years old, he was diagnosed with autism,” said Renae in a video posted on YouTube. “Just like so many other people, we know exactly what it feels like to have the confidence or to feel good to go out into the big wide world and to feel included.”
“Having an autistic son is very different,” said Joe in an NBA Instagram video. “The therapy, the hours, the patience, the structure of what you do every day is very different from that of a normal student.”
When they saw the story of an officer who shot and killed Cameron while experiencing a mental health episode, the Ingles decided that the SLCPD could use autism awareness training.
“It pretty much hit Renae and me,” said Joe. “We were very public and weren’t afraid to use his story to help others. We sat at home and it hit really hard. I think everyone around the world could use some of this training and understanding. “
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Working with an organization called Kulture City, the Ingleses reached out to Salt Lake City Mayor Erin Mendenhall, Police Chief Mike Brown, and Fire Chief Karl Lieb to see if they would be willing to provide sensory inclusive training to first responders. The answer was an emphatic “yes”.
“All police, fire, ambulance, ambulance and 911 drivers have been trained to serve people with sensory needs and invisible disabilities,” said Joe. “Renae, I and Kulture City are so proud to have worked with the Mayor and leadership of Salt Lake City to make the entire first responder department the world’s first sensory inclusive certified first responder department. The whole world.”
Recently, many first responders in the capital were given sensory bags with headphones, calming fidget toys, and special cards for non-verbal communication to aid some of the most vulnerable and misunderstood members of our community.
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“It’s a start,” said Joe. “And we will certainly have more to do with. Thanks to everyone who participated. Everyone who helped and set it up. “
In addition to this first-of-its-kind program, the Ingleses have other reasons to celebrate this summer: Jacob and Mila’s fifth birthday and possibly Utah’s first NBA championship.
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