A 9-year-old boy with autism is making some new friends at the Ralls Police Department.
Donavon Nichols met Chief Steven Longoria a few weeks ago when he called 911.
“I went to Dollar General, and I came back and my oldest Paul was kind of in a tizzy,” Donavon’s mom Angella Nichols recalled. “Donavon called 911 and I said ‘OK for what?'”
“We were trying to teach him about 911 and he thought his brother picking on him was an emergency. We told Donavon he could get in trouble for that and there started the fear of the police.”
When he was little, Nichols said Donavon liked to wander off. She said that is something she still worries about, so she did not want Donavon to fear the police, but instead trust them.
Monday Nichols and her husband, Chad, took Donavon to the Ralls City Office to hang out with Chief Longoria. Nichols said her son needs to form a relationship with someone before he will trust them.
“Kids on the autism spectrum – you teach them not to talk to strangers and they are so literal,” Nichols said. “And I needed him to realize that the police, fire department, EMS that they are our friends and that they are here to help him.”
Chief Longoria said it has been a good lesson for him too.
“I think it is a great idea,” Chief Longoria said. “Kids in general need to know us, know who we are so they know who to come to if they need help .”
Donavon now calls Longoria ‘his buddy.’ He hopes to make some more new friends soon, when he goes to visit the Crosby County Sheriff and Ralls Fire Department.
