The Mesa Police Department has been a Certified Autism Center™ since 2020.
MESA, AZ, UNITED STATES, May 12, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ — The International Board of Credentialing and Continuing Education Standards (IBCCES) proudly renews Mesa Police Department’s designation as a Certified Autism Center™ (CAC). To renew its certification, at least 80% of community-facing staff at the department completed autism-specific training to equip them with up-to-date knowledge of skills and best practices when aiding or interacting with autistic or sensory-sensitive community members. The Mesa Police Department was initially certified in 2020.
“The Mesa Police Department has partnered with IBCCES to earn designation as a Certified Autism Center™, and we have proudly pursued recertification. As part of this process, our team has completed updated autism-specific training focused on sensory awareness, effective communication strategies, and best practices for supporting autistic and sensory-sensitive individuals. We remain committed to providing the highest level of service and support to every member of our community,” said Chief Dan Butler of Mesa Police Department.
“By maintaining this certification, the Mesa Police Department demonstrates that it values empathy and understanding when serving individuals with cognitive and sensory differences,” said Mesa Police Department’s Assistant Chief, Dominique Sterlin. “Officers are better prepared to recognize behaviors associated with autism and respond in ways that reduce stress, misunderstanding, and unnecessary conflict. This renewal demonstrates a meaningful reaffirmation of the department’s investment in professional policing that prevents crime while creating a safe and thriving community-focused environment.”
“Since first becoming a Certified Autism Center™ in 2020, the Mesa Police Department has continued to show what it really means to serve its entire community,” said Myron Pincomb, CEO and board chairman of IBCCES. “This renewal isn’t just about maintaining a certification. It goes further than that: it’s about an ongoing commitment to understanding, patience, and support. The department’s ongoing dedication has made an impactful difference not only for autistic individuals and their families, but also the entire Mesa community.”
Mesa Police Department’s certification renewal contributes to Mesa’s designation as an Autism Certified City™ (ACC). This designation ensures that both visitors and residents have access to a wide range of organizations that are trained and certified to better welcome and assist autistic and sensory-sensitive individuals across healthcare, public safety, education, hospitality, entertainment, and recreation industries. Mesa was the first city in the world to become an ACC in 2019.
For 25 years, IBCCES has been a leader in providing autism, sensory and neurodiversity training and certification for professionals worldwide, including those in healthcare, education, public safety, travel, and corporate sectors. As the only credentialing board offering these programs, IBCCES provides training from subject matter experts and autistic self-advocates, along with long-term support, continuous learning, onsite reviews, and renewal requirements to ensure continued growth and lasting impact.
To further support inclusivity efforts, Mesa Police Department is featured on the IBCCES Accessibility App, which is free to download. This app provides individuals with a variety of disabilities real-time guidance on certified destinations, sensory-friendly spaces, and tailored recommendations. By connecting users to accessible locations worldwide, the app helps ensure seamless, enjoyable experiences for everyone.
IBCCES also provides access to resources such as AccessibilityCertified.com and AutismTravel.com, which are free online tools for families that list certified locations and professionals. Each organization listed on the site has met IBCCES certification requirements.
###
About Mesa Police Department
The Mesa Police Department is dedicated to serving Mesa residents and keeping our community safe. Mesa Police Department establishes public safety excellence through advanced policing methods, cutting-edge technology, community partnerships, and strategic planning. Mesa Police seek to meet the needs of an ever-evolving community while remaining mission-focused on reducing crime, resulting in one of the safest cities of its size in the United States.
About IBCCES
Delivering the global standard for training and certification in the fields of autism, neurodiversity, and accessibility – IBCCES provides a series of certification programs that empower professionals to be industry leaders and improve the outcomes for the individuals they serve. For 25 years, IBCCES has been a global leader, setting the industry standard in autism and cognitive differences training. IBCCES works in over 125 countries and provides training in 8 languages, and its programs have been recognized around the world as the leading benchmark in training and certification.
In addition to individual certification programs, IBCCES partners with cities, destinations, and organizations on initiatives like the Certified Autism Destination™ (CAD) and Autism Certified City™ (ACC), ensuring autistic and sensory-sensitive residents and visitors feel welcomed and
safe. Destinations that achieve the CAD designation have completed a specialized program that ensures a multitude of recreation, hospitality and entertainment organizations have completed an autism and sensory-sensitivity training, certification and IBCCES facilities review process. The ACC designation expands on that program and includes IBCCES training and certification for the public safety, education, healthcare and workplace sectors.
IBCCES also created the Accessibility App, AutismTravel.com, and AccessibilityCertified.com – free resources for individuals with a variety of neurodiversities and disabilities, listing certified locations and connecting individuals to other resources and each other.
Meredith Tekin
IBCCES
+1 904-508-0135
marketing@ibcces.org
Visit us on social media:
LinkedIn
Facebook
X
Other
Legal Disclaimer:
EIN Presswire provides this news content “as is” without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability
for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this
article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the author above.
Media gallery
