CHARLOTTE, N.C. — As people with autism become adults, it can be a struggle for some, but many go on to lead independent and productive lives. Sometimes it just takes a little extra help from the people around them. One Charlotte man with autism found the help he needed in an unlikely place.
Diagnosed with autism as a baby, 20-year-old Cole Stanczak does a lot by himself. He spends time with his family, takes care of their dog and is an tournament-winning bowler. He’s also gone to the bank on his own many times. But on one occasion, he struggled to deposit money at an ATM, and things took an unexpected turn.
“An error popped up. I didn’t really know what to do after that,” Stanczak said.
Charlotte-Mecklenburg police received a suspicious person call from bank employees, who said they saw someone wandering around the outside of the building. It was Cole.
“I was kind of trying to clear my head a little bit,” said Stanczak.
Officer Erik Stewart arrived. “Sometimes it’s substantiated, and sometimes it ends up being kind of a misunderstanding or overly cautious caller. In this case, when I made contact with Cole, I kind of realized it was more of the latter,” he said.
It didn’t take long for Stewart to realize Stanczak was not a threat but simply struggling to complete a task and had difficulty expressing that.
“This was kind of like a learning experience, kind of like for all of us, actually,” said Stanczak.Stewart offered to go inside the bank with Stanczak to sort things out, and the issue was handled without a problem. “This was kind of like a learning experience, kind of like for all of us, actually,” said Stanczak.
Officer Stewart said earlier training with CMPD’s Crisis Intervention and Community Police and Crisis Response teams helped him know what to do. “We have to be very mindful in how we approach them in a way that does not startle them, does not scare them. That conversation might involve getting down on their level,” he said.
Stanczak described Stewart as one of the nicest officers he’s ever met and said it was a very positive interaction. It’s something the CMPD officer takes to heart.
“It’s a reminder of not everything has to be a crisis, a crime, you know, and that we can sometimes just have positive, wholesome, you know, beneficial encounters with our community,” Stewart said.
Stanczak’s mom, Eileen Stanczak, said this interaction gives her comfort in knowing people out there will help her son. “It really helped Cole. And I think it gave Cole more confidence to maybe if that happens in the future, he knows what to do,” she said.
Eileen Stanczak is also working with CMPD to bring the Blue Envelope Program to Mecklenburg County. It’s an initiative designed to improve interactions between police and people with conditions like autism. The blue envelope would include all of the person’s information and tips on how to best communicate with them.
