Traffic Stop Language Barriers?

[astrodudepsu]

This past weekend I was talking to a retired Fairfax County cop at a local pistol match. Left after 20-some years and certainly had some very interesting insights about the area after seeing it evolve for 20 years.

I started thinking about this, but didn't get a chance to ask him, so I'll open it up to you all. For those of you in multi-cultural areas what (if any?) is the SOP for a traffic stop where the person simply does not speak English? And I'm not just talking Spanish speakers either, here in DC metro we have dozens of spoken languages from 6 continents.

I would expect a decent sized police force in a large area to have a few officers who speak Spanish, but Mandarin? Russian? Korean? Hindi? yeah not so much.

 

[Lt. ZO6]

The agency I work with started using an 800 translation service. For low risk stops, it has been helpful.

 

[silver03svt]

We have the same thing as Lt. Z06, but we call in to our dispatch and they transfer us to the service. Put your phone on speaker and good luck.

 

[THE_EVIL_TW1N]

We ask for disptach to put out a message to officers for whatever language we need. If nobody responds, we use a phone service too.

 

[cbj5259]

Generally we ask dispatch if there is an officer working in the county that speaks whatever particular language. If there are none on duty, then plan B has been the Google translate app recently. Works pretty well. In the past we have used the phone service as well, but everyone has a smartphone now and it's usually faster.

 

[musclefan21]

I will ask for a spanish speaking officer. if non available, then the language line, which is PITA. i dont like shifting my focus from the person during any kind of contact, so i dont like the language line. I at times used google translate on my phone, which helped.

 

[92LX302]

Here in Eastern Canada, the RCMP try to keep at least one bilingual member per detachment. The province of New-Brunswick requires all of their officers to be bilingual and offer service in both official languages during a traffic stop. Here in Nova-Scotia, we are not required but there is quite a few french communities around. I'm one of the french members at my detachment.

 

[2003 Venomous]

This thread has me thinking.....in America we speak English. Understand that many have come to this great land for multiple reasons, but if you are here then you had to pass an English Proficiency test of some sort. So i ask the question, why are we having to worry about the ability to speak two languages? If we continue down this path, which is what is wanted by all immigrants for us to accept them instead of them accepting our policies and practices where will America be in 50 years? Think about the 70's.....none of this was an issue, now 50 years look how far we have strayed from our very roots.

 

[Lt. ZO6]

Umm, in America, we speak a lot of languages.

I always get so impressed when I meet someone from another country who has taken the time to learn English, in addition to their native tongue. Then laugh at the Americans who are too f'ing lazy to learn additional languages, yet bitch when someone hasn't learned English. Here's a clue, there is no national official language for the USA. If the Founding Fathers' felt it was important enough to establish one, they would've included it in the Constitution.

For a cop, not knowing the dominant languages in your jurisdiction can get you killed.

 

[DevilDog81]

It all depends in reference to the violation. We have a lot of bilingual officers, in addition to the language line (over the phone) and a language bank (certified bilingual county employees and volunteers) but when in doubt, we have a year to issue a traffic citation so you can obtain the driver's full information and visit him/her later with a translator (to make sure the defendant is fully aware of the charges).