NCJ Number
170226
Date Published
1996
Length
28 pages
Annotation
As the ethnic structure of communities continues to change, the ability of police departments to communicate effectively with citizens is essential.
Abstract
Several factors are important in the ability of police officers to communicate with non-English speaking members of their communities. Community policing relies heavily on the ability of police officers to communicate with and relate to neighborhood residents, regardless of ethnic background or linguistic capabilities, in order to form effective problem- solving partnerships. Further, non-English speaking victims and witnesses of crime tend to be more hesitant in reporting incidents, and youth gangs exist in certain localities that speak languages other than English. Few police departments have sufficient linguistic resources, and many have attempted to meet language requirements of their communities by hiring individuals who already speak targeted languages. The demand for individuals with language skills, however, outstrips the supply, as both private and public sector organizations compete for available human resources. In California, the need to communicate with diverse service populations is growing exponentially in many law enforcement agencies and will continue to do so in the future. To assess future trends in the domain of communication and language, discussions were held with knowledgeable individuals and the available literature was reviewed. The trend analysis focused on language training programs, translation services and methods, translation technology, and demographic projections. The goal was to evaluate the ability of police officers to communicate effectively with non-English speaking customer populations in mid-sized California cities by the year 2005, using Salinas as a representative city. The strategic planning process involved an examination of mission statements and environmental and organizational capabilities of the Salinas Police Department, as well as the development of alternative strategies, an implementation plan, and recommendations for the future. Three strategies were considered: (1) targeted recruitment and hiring of bilingual police officers; (2) intensive language training of the existing work force; and (3) reliance on potential emerging technologies and self-improvement. It was determined that intensive language for existing personnel is the preferred strategy but that targeted recruitment of bilingual individuals to serve as police officers should be included in long-term planning. 15 endnotes