The Island Director of the General State Administration in Lanzarote, Pedro Viera, has coordinated a working meeting with representatives of the State Security Forces and Corps and the Sentirte Association, with the aim of advancing in the improvement of care and protection for autistic people on the island.
The meeting, held at the request of the Sentirte Association, was attended by María Mayordomo Anguiano, head of the UFAM; José Manuel López Álvarez, chief inspector of Citizen Security of the National Police; Armando Fernández Martínez, captain and head of the Costa Teguise Civil Guard Company; and Ismael Francisco Vazcuñana, lieutenant of the main Civil Guard post in San Bartolomé, as well as representatives of the SentirTE Association.
During the meeting, the main difficulties faced by autistic people and their families in situations of interaction with security forces were addressed, as well as the importance of adapting the institutional response to the different realities of the autism spectrum.
In this regard, several agreements were reached aimed at improving accessibility and training, including the commitment to transfer the Sentirte proposal to improve the visual accessibility of police stations and offices, the activation of two-way collaboration protocols between the association and the Security Forces, and the launch of an awareness and specific training campaign for agents.
The Island Director, Pedro Viera, highlighted that this meeting "represents an important step towards a more inclusive and empathetic society, where attention to autistic people is approached from understanding and training."
She also expressed her gratitude for the willingness of the National Police and the Civil Guard, and for the commitment of the Sentirte Association, whose work, she noted, "is essential to improving the quality of life, safety, and care for autistic people and their families in Lanzarote."
This meeting marks the beginning of a stable collaboration between the General State Administration, the State Security Forces, and the island's associative network, with the purpose of guaranteeing more humane, accessible, and respectful attention to diversity.
