Autism is a developmental disability that manifests itself within the first 3 years of a child’s life. Autism is not retardation, but a broad spectrum of neurological disorders that presents itself in symptoms that vary from person to person. Many autistic people are highly functioning individuals who may have regular employment in supervised or unsupervised workplaces and who may live in traditional or assisted-living homes. The assistance call for a police officer may come from such a location and appear at first to be a domestic disturbance. Upon arrival, the officer may be informed that the subject is autistic and has reacted inappropriately to some event. The behavior of autistic individuals under stress, while more often tending to be self-abusive, can escalate into tantrum-like conduct—screaming, pushing, kicking, and hitting—out of fear or confusion. They do not have the capacity to conceptualize meanness or acts of purposeful injury to others. They just want the circumstances to change but do not know how to change the situation. This presents a dilemma to the responding officer. In the case of autism, there is no external indicator. Autistic persons appear normal—there are no telltale facial characteristics. A person may have autism if he or she: avoids eye contact, is nonverbal, has limited vocabulary, or speaks in a monotone voice. By understanding the nature of autism, responding officers can manage situations involving these people more effectively. A useful methodology for dealing with a person who is autistic can be outlined as follows: approach the person in a quiet, nonthreatening manner; understand that touching the autistic person may cause the protective “fight or flight” reaction; talk to the person in a moderated and calm voice; instructions should be simple and direct; seek all indicators to evaluate the situation as it is unfolding and be flexible; and maintain a safe distance until any inappropriate behaviors appear to diminish but remain alert to the possibility of outbursts or impulsive acts.