Rochester Police Officer Brenna Hogue stood near a young, agitated man and knew how to calm him down. He was wearing a Pokemon T-shirt.

“Do you like Pokemon?” she said, pulling Pokemon stickers out of her pocket. The man calmed down and she and other officers were able to address his concerns.

“No one else knew I had the stickers,” she said.

She’s learned a lot about autism spectrum disorder (ASD) since her 7-year-old daughter was diagnosed four years ago. One thing that she discovered is that many people with ASD like Pokemon characters.

What she’s learned since then about a variety of disorders that make people of all ages vulnerable has changed how she handles police calls.

In June, Hogue co-founded an organization, S.A.V.E.S., dedicated to people with special needs, ASD, other vul

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