June 03, 2025

Interview with Barry Davies and John Nelson (on the topics of autism acceptance in policing, community support, advocacy within the police force and more!)

46 minutes

Join our host Simeon Thompson as he welcomes Barry Davies, Police Community Support Officer, and Sergeant John Nelson, both from the British Transport Police. Barry brings a personal perspective as a parent of an autistic son and draws on his previous experience working for TFL London Underground in ticket offices, while John shares his journey as an autistic police officer and founder of the National Police Autism Association (NPAA).

Barry opens up about his transition from TFL ticket offices to becoming a PCSO when the Oyster card system led to ticket office closures, and how his personal experience with autism through his son has shaped his approach to community policing. He shares real examples of supporting autistic people on the transport network, highlighting how understanding and empathy can transform situations that others might misinterpret as aggressive behavior when the person is actually frightened or overwhelmed.

John delves into his career change from IT to policing after volunteering with St. John Ambulance sparked his interest in emergency services. He discusses receiving his autism diagnosis several years into his police career, the challenges of fitting into police culture, and his determination to create support for neurodivergent colleagues. He shares the founding and remarkable growth of the NPAA, which now supports nearly 3,000 members across 48 UK forces, and the evolution of autism acceptance within policing from complete ignorance to growing understanding and acceptance.

The conversation explores the importance of proper autism training for officers, the value of resources like police guides, meltdown response materials, and the Met Police's stop and search guide for autistic people. Both guests emphasise how taking time to talk with autistic individuals rather than making assumptions can completely change outcomes, and the crucial difference between viewing autism through a medical lens versus understanding it as neurological diversity.

National Police Autism Association website: National Police Autism Association (NPAA)

John Nelson's email: [email protected]

X: https://x.com/npaa_uk

Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/npaa.org.uk

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/national-police-autism-association-npaa-uk

Simeon Thompson's instagram: https://www.instagram.com/Siimthompson

Dr Sophia Christophi's instagram: https://www.instagram.com/autistically.sophia

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Editorial leads - Dr Chris Papadopoulos and Mr James Gordon

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