TS and the LawA concern of many teenagers with TS/TS+ and of their parents is whether tics or other behaviours will draw the attention of police, security guards or other people in authority. Although some people with TS have reported being stopped and questioned by the police, by and large such attention does not seem to be a major problem. A teenager or adult who is perceived to be acting in a bizarre manner can expect that his/her actions will draw the attention of the police or other law enforcement officials. For example, a person can expect to draw the attention of police if he/she is wandering around in an area where he/she should not be, shouting or making loud noises, having profound tics in his/her arms and legs so that he/she is waling erratically and acting as if he is nervous. A police officer who observes this behaviour cannot ignore the situation on the assumption that this person has TS. In most cases, the police officer is doing due diligence in checking out what could be a threat to public safety. If police approaches the teenager, he/she should try to remain calm. He/She should explain to the police officer that he/she has TS. If the officer is unfamiliar with TS, then a further explanation may be required- for example, "it is a neurological disorder that causes me to have tics, including...", mentioning some of the tics that the officer may have just witnessed. The good news is that police services appear to be providing their officers with more information and sensitivity training about mental illnesses and neurological disorders. As a result, more officers seem to be aware of TS and are willing to accommodate a need for a non-confrontational dialogue. in this section:
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