WHEN someone with autism panics, their behaviour can often be misunderstood as agresssion or threatening behaviour.

But now police officers across Oxfordshire have been learning to spot those signs, thanks to a unique training programme run by people with the condition.

It is hoped the move will improve awareness of people on the autism spectrum and make the police better able to help them.

The project is being led by charity Autism Oxford. Founder Kathy Erangey said: “We now have a training team put together, made up of people with autism.

“And together we are training all sorts of people, from the police and probation services to people who work in mental health.

“We’ve now had requests to take our members all over the UK because what we are doing is unique.”

There are an estimated 6,500 people on the autism spectrum in Oxfordshire. It is a lifelong developmental disability that affects the way a person communicates and relates to people around them, to varying degrees.

Mrs Erangey’s own son Stephen, now in his 20s, was diagnosed with autism shortly before his third birthday.

She said: “About one in 100 people have autism and so everyone of us will know someone with it, whether they’ve been diagnosed or not.

“Often if anxious or stressed, the behaviour of someone on the autism spectrum may be interpreted as challenging behaviour, or they may just be unable to speak.

“This is about helping people to understand why certain people react in this way.”

The training is part of the Autism Alert Card Scheme, which was launched by the charity in June last year.

About 200 people now have the card – which informs the finder that the person has autism and includes the contact details of a carer or friend.

Upcoming launch dates for the card include events in Witney on April 26 and Oxford’s Kassam Stadium on June 27.

Jamie Carlin, local training delivery manager for Thames Valley Police, said: “All our frontline officers have been getting this training – people like our Pcs and PCSOs.

“It’s just giving them a bit of awareness, if they see this card and someone is acting oddly, it lets them deal with them without believing they are in imminent danger.

“All the feedback I’ve been getting has been very positive.”

The card was funded by Oxfordshire County Council and the NHS.