Police departments in South Florida drove in a caravan Wednesday across two counties to bring awareness during Autism Awareness Month.
Vehicles from police departments and fire departments from across Miami-Dade and Broward counties came out in support of members in our communities who are or have family members and friends who are on the autism spectrum.
"I know it's near and dear to my heart," City of Miami Police Chief Manuel Morales said. "Many of our officers have children that are on the spectrum so any time that we can get together and do something to support the community, to support a great cause, you're always going to be able to have the Miami Police get involved so we're really proud of our team."
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The caravan stopped at many different police departments, making their way to Miami's City Hall on Wednesday morning.
"And how it interrelates with their profession in protecting our society, but at the same time being compassionate and understanding how autism affects our residents," Miami Mayor Francis Suarez said.
Last year, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported that about one in 44 children in the U.S. is diagnosed as being on the autism spectrum disorder, or ASD. Boys are almost five times more likely to be diagnosed with ASD than girls.
Some of the symptoms include difficulty connecting with others' thoughts and feelings, and difficulty reading body language and facial expressions.
Researchers say the causes of autism include genetics and children born to older parents and add that after extensive research they've found that vaccines do not cause autism.
