Policing and Parkinson’s Disease Encounters, Training, and the Need for Awareness

People with Parkinson’s disease (PD) and police often have unpleasant interactions that result from officers’ lack of awareness of the symptoms, for example, when tremors are mistaken for inebriation. In this research-based book, passionate Parkinson’s advocate Dr. George Ackerman describes initial police training and focuses on the great need in the law enforcement field for PD awareness. Officers’ shocking lack of awareness and symptoms can lead to highly unpleasant or even dangerous encounters for the PD sufferers. Through research, surveys, and interviews, Dr. Ackerman documents the lack of police training in PD and advocates its inclusion in all academy and in-service programs. Experiences of both police and PD citizens are recounted, and Dr. Ackerman offers advice and information to defuse potentially volatile situations, to counteract the fear of many people with Parkinson’s on meeting the police, and to promote mutual consideration and respect.