Autism awareness advocate visits with Sea Isle police department

In only seven years, Alex Mann has visited 529 police departments in five different states, including municipal and state law enforcement agencies throughout New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland and California.

Mann, who is on the autism spectrum, enjoys visiting different police departments to help raise autism awareness and show his support for law enforcement.

On April 23, he visited the Sea Isle City Police Department – for the second time.

His initial visit to the SICPD marked his 74th police department tour. However, “revisits do not count,” he said.

During his visit in Sea Isle, the 26-year-old from Malvern, Pa, posed with the officers for pictures, took selfies, toured the police facility and went on a “ride along” to see the town from inside a patrol car.

While interacting with the police officers, Mann complimented Sea Isle’s safety building, where he also met with Mayor Leonard Desiderio, who presented him with a ceremonial key to the city.

    Mayor Leonard Desiderio, fourth from left, presents Alex Mann with a ceremonial key to the city.
  

Mann graduated from Malvern’s Great Valley High School in 2018. He is employed by a federal information technology contractor, where he is currently working on a Veterans Affairs project.

He also works part-time for a fire protection company and volunteers on an ambulance at the Keystone Valley Fire Company.

According to Sea Isle Police Chief Anthony Garreffi Jr., Mann’s visit was very productive and enjoyable.

“During our visit with Mr. Mann, he explained that he has made presentations at different law enforcement academies and agencies regarding how police officers can better interact with members of our community with autism, and how officers can help identify individuals on the spectrum – and we applaud that effort,” Garreffi said in a news release.

For more information on the Sea Isle City Police Department, go to www.sicpd.us or follow them on Facebook.