The Manteca Police Department is one of three law enforcement agencies in the state to attain Certified Autism Center status.

Police Chief Stephen Schluer said Monday that his department joins Merced and Modesto to hold this special designation.

He proudly displayed the Certified Autism Center from the International Board of Credentialing and Continuing Education Standards at the celebration event at the Manteca Transit Center. IBCCES is the industry leader in cognitive disorder training and certification for education.

This certification, Schluer noted, demonstrates the department’s commitment to better understand and serve individuals with autism and their family.

“Achieving this certification is a milestone in our ongoing mission to foster a community where everyone feels safe and understood,” he said. “Our officers are better equipped than ever to serve and protect Manteca, which includes those within the autistic community.”

City Manager Toni Lungren praised Schluer for bringing in this new addition to the police department. “It’s a remarkable achievement,” she said.

Schluer initially contacted the Modesto Police Department, which was the first department in California to be recognized as a Certified Autism Center.

“How can we do that? How can we better serve our community,” he said.   

Schluer had Lt. Josh Gutierrez run point on the certification process. It helped that he had some first-hand knowledge on autism.

He also introduced the Mental Health Toolkit – made available by a company in Elk Grove – for officers to use while responding on emergencies.

With it are a variety neuro-calming devices, including non-verbal cards, fruit snacks, earphones, and clock timers, to name a few.

“It’s limited,” Schluer added. “But it’s more than what we had before.”

For local police, this is another show of its dedication towards helping autistic community members and their families when responding to calls for service.