INDIANAPOLIS -- The Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department is breaking ground with a new effort to reduce and report crime while helping to break down the language barrier for those who are still learning English.
IMPD officer Randy Diaz already speaks Spanish, which helps on many calls, but he said he also responds to many calls where the victim or witnesses speak a variety of languages he’s not familiar with.
In Indiana alone, there are over 11,000 dialects spoken, which makes the job tough for public safety when they’re trying to communicate during an emergency – when every second can matter.
That’s why Diaz came up with a translation tool that he and other officers can use in these situations where language is the main barrier.
“It worries us because we didn’t know what the problem was, [and we’re] trying to help them,” said Diaz.
The forms don’t require the person to speak, just point to the answer. They can be used to help the person tell police what weapon was used, to describe a suspect, describe the clothing they were wearing and possibly even the getaway vehicle. All critical information when it matters the most.
The department is hoping to deploy the forms soon, and possibly create an app to use in the future.
