GILBERT, Arizona — An Arizona family is bridging the gap between first responders and people with autism.

Preston's Pursuit for Acceptance is a non-profit that aims to equip police officers, firefighters and paramedics with the knowledge needed to interact with people on the autism spectrum effectively.

“We’ve lived both sides of that coin," Autumn Timmins, Co-Founder and President of Preston's Pursuit for Acceptance, said. “(Preston's Pursuit is) really built on both a passion for supporting the disability community, as well as first responders.”

Chris and Autumn Timmins are a law enforcement family, and they have a 19-year-old son, Preston Timmins, who is on the autism spectrum.

As a defensive tactics trainer, Chris Timmins noticed that first responders are not traditionally trained

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