The lights were real and so were the sirens, and there were tons of cops around. But those driving the squad cars were cadets, and it was all happening in an Upper Marlboro parking lot where the “road” was lined with orange cones.

On Thursday morning, the class of cadets on their way to becoming the next wave of Prince George’s County police officers were practicing traffic stops in a lot behind Riverdale Baptist School. In most cases, riding with them was someone with autism.

“It’s beneficial for both,” said Lt. Nicole McGowen, the commanding officer of the Basic Officer Training Academy with the Prince George’s County Police Department. “The students get a chance to practice more on how to do a traffic stop. But the participants get to practice how to interact with police officers as w

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