Officer Tim Purdy [of the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department) was dispatched to a situation involving a young high school student with autism who left the campus and may have been suicidal.
Due to the young man’s neurodevelopmental disorder, he also had a history of displaying violent behavior.
In order to build a connection with the young man, Officer Purdy sat next to him on the ground, talked things through and even got him laughing.
Officer Purdy established trust and a relationship that allowed officers to get this young man the help that he so desperately needed.”
