A Malvern man who has trained officers at more than 500 police departments lectured cadets at the Municipal Police Academy in Blue Bell on recognizing autism.

Alex Mann, 26, stood before about 30 cadets at Montgomery County Community College's academy in Whitpain Township and delivered a lesson no textbook covers: what it feels like to encounter a police officer when you're on the autism spectrum. Mann was diagnosed with Level 1 autism spectrum disorder and has spent eight years traveling to departments across the country, teaching officers how to de-escalate those encounters, according to Mainline Media News, which first reported on the training.

He has visited more than 500 departments, Mainline Media News reported. NBC Philadelphia reported in August that the count had reached 539 across five states.

Most visits come out of his own pocket. MCCC compensates him as a trainer.

"If you've met someone with autism," Mann told the cadets inside the college's Health Sciences Center, "you've met [just] one person with autism."

Stephen Salera, coordinator of public services training programs for the Municipal Police Academy, first met Mann while working as an officer with the Lower Merion Police Department. Since 2020, Salera has invited Mann to speak twice a year to each new class of cadets.

"He teaches our cadets things to be on the lookout for," Salera said. "So, when they become police officers, and they're out on the street and dealing with people with autism, they know how to react and interact with them."

Mann's hour-long presentation to Class 2602 covered common triggers for people on the spectrum, including loud noises and flashing lights like those on a police car. He told cadets he once feared fire alarm systems because of how overstimulating they can be. He now collects alarm systems at his home as a hobby.

Mann also showed cadets an informational card he helped design with the Pennsylvania State Police. The card identifies a person's autism diagnosis, lists emergency contact information and alerts officers that the individual may be nonverbal, sensitive to loud noises, tactile-defensive or unresponsive to commands. The Pennsylvania State Police developed the card after meeting with advocates and began distributing it statewide, according to a state announcement.

Municipal Police Academy director Georgette Hill said Mann's training has become a valued part of the curriculum.

Nicole Callahan, MCCC manager of disability services, said people with autism may display behaviors that officers could misread. She said giving individuals space and allowing them to stim can prevent encounters from escalating.

Mann said he hoped cadets left his lecture remembering not to jump to conclusions. "Be patient, be calm, be understanding and know to take a step back from the assumption that someone may be under the influence or noncompliant," he said. "… And be prepared to treat a person on the spectrum like you would a close friend or family member."

The PSP informational card is free and available on the Pennsylvania State Police Safety Resources page. Residents can print it or save it on a phone to present during any encounter with law enforcement.