Autism-specific police training launched after death of Surrey teen

Autism-specific training has officially launched for police in B.C., the province confirmed, one day after an IIO report on the death of Chase De Balinhard.

After B.C.’s police watchdog ruled the RCMP officers involved in the fatal shooting of 15-year-old Chase De Balinhard acted lawfully, the province has confirmed autism-specific police training is now underway.

For Chase’s family and autism advocacy groups, the change is long overdue.

While the new training is being welcomed as progress, the case continues to raise difficult questions about crisis response, policing, and how neurodivergent people are treated during emergencies.

The IIO’s conclusion—and why officers fired

The Independent Investigations Office of B.C. concluded Thursday that the officers involved were legally justified in using lethal force.

According to the evidence reviewed, multiple officers told investigators that Chase pointed what appeared to be a real gun at them several times. None knew it was a pellet gun.

The IIO found that attempts to communicate with Chase occurred over roughly 20 minutes, and officers repeatedly called out for him to drop the weapon.

But the report also describes the difficulties of the unfolding scene: The setting was a public park next to a townhouse complex on a Sunday afternoon, with bystanders nearby; officers lost visual contact with Chase at least once; and attempts at containment repeatedly broke down.

• Related: Full coverage of the Chase De Balinhard case

One officer told investigators the environment was “very dangerous and fluid,” describing numerous blind corners and what he felt was the possibility of ambush. He said officers were “not even able to get him to acknowledge us,” which meant they could not effectively attempt de-escalation.

Several officers described Chase pointing the weapon at his own head, at them, and in the direction of others in the area.

One recalled another officer pleading, “Please don’t make me shoot you man, please don’t make me shoot you.”

Former attorney general and retired judge Wally Oppal, who reviewed the IIO findings, said the threshold for second-guessing police is high when officers perceive a threat to life. “You have to keep in mind that the circumstances are highly charged, the circumstances are dangerous, and it’s not always fair to second-guess the officers,” he said.

The role of autism—known, but not understood

One of the most significant revelations in the IIO report is that dispatch told officers Chase was autistic before they arrived.

Yet none of the officers had autism-specific training or a clear understanding of how that information should shape their approach.

In one interview quoted in the report, an officer said that learning Chase was autistic “doesn’t change my risk assessment. It might even make it a little bit higher… does that make my ability to communicate with you different? I don’t know.”

For autism advocates, that statement reflects the central issue in the case: Officers knew the diagnosis but not what it meant.

Autism BC executive director Suzanne Perreault said the moment dispatch relayed the information, the entire strategy should have shifted. “Right when that call landed, there should have been a different approach,” she said.

The IIO also found that Chase may not have been able to process shouted commands due to sensory overload triggered by sirens, firearms, shouting and uniforms—something widely documented in autism research but not recognized by officers on scene.

A training gap the province now acknowledges

In the wake of the IIO findings, the Ministry of Public Safety and Solicitor General confirmed the province has refreshed its mandatory Crisis Intervention and De-escalation training to include autism-specific content for all frontline police officers and supervisors.

The provincial government had said the updated training was in development before the teen’s death. The curriculum is now delivered through an online module developed with input from experts, along with a seven-hour in-person session designed to increase understanding of how autism may affect communication, sensory processing and behaviour.

Premier David Eby said the tragedy underscored the need for this training. “The government has taken this case very seriously, even in advance of this decision,” he said. “It is crucial that police officers have the training and the ability to respond in these frontline and challenging situations that they face every single day.”

Perreault, whose organization contributed to the training updates, said she is hopeful the changes will have real impact. “I feel positive and hopeful about that, and it allows us to grab on to something meaningful in the midst of a tragedy,” she said.

But she also emphasized that Autism BC was only included in the process after months of public pressure and reporting. “We should not be an afterthought, and I shouldn’t have to put my foot in the door because an incident happened.”

The broader legal and ethical questions

While the IIO’s mandate is limited to determining whether officers may have committed a criminal offence—and concluded they did not—Oppal says the coroner’s inquest will serve a different purpose. Criminal investigations have a narrow focus and require a high standard of proof. Inquests, he noted, are more expansive and aimed at understanding causes and preventing future tragedies.

“We can always learn from these inquests,” Oppal said. “We have here a death of a person who was a vulnerable person, and I don’t think we can learn too much from that.”

The B.C. Coroners Service confirmed Friday that its investigation remains active.

A decision on if an inquest will be called will be made once the investigation is complete. The minister in charge has committed to ensuring an inquest is held after all investigations have concluded.

A bittersweet legacy

Chase’s parents, Crystal and Rick De Balinhard, say they are grateful change is happening, but the cost is unbearable.

In an interview with CTV News, they said they want their son to be remembered for who he was—a gentle, giving teenager who admired Terry Fox and wanted to “help people.”

“I want Chase to be remembered for the giving soul,” Rick said.

Crystal added, “We want him to be remembered for how he wanted to help people.”

Perreault believes that sentiment is reflected in the reforms now underway. “I feel like it’s a win for Chase and for the community,” she said. “Their work, his life, is the reason why we’re having this conversation today.”