Montgomery County honors 20 years of police autism and IDD outreach unit; officers urge families to call 911 if someone with autism is missing

The Montgomery County Council presented a proclamation Oct. 29 honoring the 20th anniversary of the Montgomery County Police Department's Autism and Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (IDD) outreach unit and praised the team's statewide role in training and response.

County leaders and police officials credited the unit for saving lives and improving outcomes for families. Councilmember Katz said the unit "has saved lives" and is widely discussed across the county and state. Several councilmembers and staff acknowledged the unit as a model of innovation and partnership between police, health and human services staff, and Montgomery County Public Schools.

Officer Lori Reyes, who led many of the remarks, described thousands of calls the unit handles annually involving individuals with autism and other intellectual and developmental disabilities and stressed empathetic, community-centered responses. She told the council the unit provided about "550 follow ups this year," meaning families received outreach calls to check whether additional resources or language assistance were needed. Reyes also urged families not to delay: "If your loved one is missing, please don't wait to call 911."

The proclamation text, read by council staff, traced the unit's origin to 2004 and outlined a five-pronged approach of education, outreach, follow-up, empowerment and response, and it referenced tools such as the MCP wandering safety kit used to reduce elopement risk. Speakers noted the unit's collaboration with self-advocates and caregivers and emphasized ongoing work on elopement and other challenges.

The council presented the proclamation to officers and staff from the police department and partner agencies. The presentation was ceremonial; no policy vote or budget action took place during the remarks. Council members said they will continue to partner with the police department and human-services providers to improve supports for families and to address remaining gaps in services and outreach.