Collier County Sheriff's Sergeant Builds First Responder Autism Initiative Through L.E.A.D. CPO Program

Sgt. Daniel McDonald of the Collier County Sheriff’s Office developed an initiative to improve first responders' interactions with individuals with autism through the L.E.A.D. Community Prevention Officer (CPO) program, which trains officers in evidence-based prevention strategies. As one of the first CPOs, McDonald tailored his project to address local community needs, demonstrating how prevention science can guide law enforcement in creating effective, community-focused solutions. The L.E.A.D. program aims to expand this approach nationwide by certifying more officers as CPOs.

Read at John Guilfoil Public Relations

All articles from 29 September 2026. Summaries are AI-generated and may contain errors; the linked article is the authority.