Parents of children with cognitive disabilities such as Asperger's syndrome or autism often fear the prospect of having to deal with police should their offspring have an emotional meltdown or act out inappropriately in school or some other social setting.

During the Family Links conference Saturday at Murray High School, Probation and Parole agent Kyle Andersen offered parents tips and insights to help them prepare for possible contact with law enforcement.

"What you have to realize is that very rarely when facing any situation do officers ever have enough information up front," said Andersen, who works for the Utah Department of Corrections.

If a law officer arrives on the scene to encounter a child who is not making eye contact, is not responding to verbal commands but turns and walks away, the officer's first thought might be that he is dealing with someone on drugs, Andersen said. "They will think drugs before they think they are dealing with a kid with autism."

That means it's important for parents to provide pertinent information about a child to school resource officers and their local community-oriented policing program so that if a crisis does occurs, they can better deal with the situation.

He also suggested asking local police department dispatchers to flag an address as a home of a person with a disability.

Helen Post, executive director of the Utah Parent Center, which sponsored the Family Links conference for parents of children and adults with disabilities, said one of the conference goals is providing information families can use to make a difference in their lives and those of their children.

Providing such information is important because one of every 89 male children now born in Utah will eventually be diagnosed with autism or other cognitive disabilities.

"We want those who attend to walk away from this conference feeling good about their lives and feeling that while they have challenges, things are doable," she said, estimating that approximately 350 people attended the two-day event that ended Saturday.

Andersen, the father of a son with autism, suggested that parents prepare any specific information they might need to share with officers about their children — information such as whether they are verbal or nonverbal, behavior patterns and things that may agitate them or help calm them down.

"It is better to have that information prepared and available ahead of time than to try and think about everything when you're right at the edge of a (emotional) tsunami," he said.

Jacquelynn Bradley, of Riverton, the mother of three children with autism, attended Andersen's conference session titled "Law Enforcement and Individuals with Disabilities" and said she intends to take the suggestions to heart.

"I actually had been thinking about doing it for a while. It is a good idea to get that information put together when there isn't a crisis. And I'm sure it will help me better manage anything that might come up," she said.