Law Enforcement Officer s AWARENESS and INTERACTION TRAINING for Deaf / Hard of Hearing And other Disabilities Gary W. Talley Community Services Manager 1
GOAL: To improve interaction between Law Enforcement Officers and Deaf / Hard of Hearing Consumers and people with other disabilities. Number ONE Concern and the REASON for this training: SAFETY for the Officer and for the Citizen 2
Misunderstandings can easily occur if the citizen does not respond. The officer may have no way to know that the citizen simply cannot hear the instructions. We will be talking about general characteristics of people with disabilities: Late Deafened and Culturally Deaf Hard of Hearing Deafblind and Blind Speech Impaired 3
There are many individuals out in the world with a variety of different abilities. If you have specific questions about an issue not covered, please ASK. Within these groups there will be a great diversity of ages: Older citizens Middle aged Young Adults Teenagers Children / adolescents 4
For those with hearing loss, the key difference in age groups is likely to be technology. Younger people who are deaf or hard of hearing are far more likely to have smart phones or tablets and use them to communicate. Definitions Hearing Impaired : SOME measurable level of hearing loss Hard of Hearing: difficulty understanding normal speech Deaf: Unable to understand normal speech 5
If you should happen to stop a deaf or hard of hearing driver, how will you know they have a hearing loss and are not just ignoring you? A deaf individual may: sign deaf sign or fingerspell display a Visor Alert card have very poor or NO speech watch your mouth intently may not respond to your instructions 6
A hard of hearing consumer may: be wearing hearing aids or a CI watch your mouth intently tell you he / she is hard of hearing may not respond to your instructions May or may not have License Plate Only 54 are currently in use 7
Something many deaf and hard of hearing citizens DO use is the Visor Alert Card. This Visor Alert Card has been updated and re-printed. The FRONT of the card remains the same. The BACK of the card is much improved, and will help facilitate communication between you and the citizen. 8
Visor Alert Program Endorsed by VA Association of Police Chiefs and Department of Motor Vehicles 9
There are some general characteristics of Deaf and Hard of Hearing, but there is no typical deaf or hard of hearing individual. 10
Many who use hearing aids also speech read or Speech-guess. Hearing aids and CI s do NOT restore hearing to normal. Many users are still (somewhat) hard of hearing. The TYPE of hearing aid will also vary (analog versus digital). Late-Deafened Lost hearing AFTER learning language (most define after age 19 to be late-deafened ) Often, can speak clearly Often, can read and write well BUT, they are DEAF 11
A late-deafened individual -May or may not use Sign Language -May require an interpreter or written communication -May or may not have clear speech -May or may not be able to communicate with you by reading / writing DEAF Also may be wearing hearing aids -can help with environmental sounds, such as sirens, horns, etc, but they are still deaf. 12
-May require a sign language interpreter ASL or Signed English. -May be able to communicate by reading / writing -May have understandable speech or may not have any speech For EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION with Deaf, Late-deafened, and hard of hearing 13
First, ASK what their communication needs are. Writing Sign Language Assistive Listening Device If they do not sign and prefer speechreading: FACE the individual Good lighting on YOUR face with no backlighting Speak a little more slowly and clearly, but don t over- enunciate 14
If their choice is written communication: -Ensure adequate lighting -Use white paper and a bold-point writing pen (high contrast). -Simplify questions and statements -Be patient Pre-Print cards with often-requested information Myths and Misconceptions about Deaf and Hard of Hearing 15
When one sense diminishes, other senses increase to compensate. Not true. We just learn to use our other senses more effectively. Deaf/HH are excellent lip readers -Speech reading is a learned skill that takes training and much practice -Some are very good and some are not -Will vary with individuals and conditions 16
Hearing aids and cochlear implants restore hearing to normal. While many hearing aids are very good, hearing aids and implants, generally, make the user hard of hearing, and their effectiveness varies with the environment. All Deaf individuals use American Sign Language Most culturally deaf individuals use American Sign Language, but many late-deafened who learn sign prefer Signed English. Many late-deafened do not learn to sign. 17
American Sign Language is NOT a manual form of English, but a totally separate language. It s origins are FRENCH Sign Language (Laurent Clerc) Some very general characteristics of ASL Time signed first Topic - Comment No articles (a - an - the) Fingerspelling Facial expressions (Most) Interrogatives come last 18
ASL is not a written language BUT, TTY s, and Text Messaging have made it necessary to use written words to express thoughts and feelings When responding, keep sentences simple and basic. Don t use idioms or jargon 19
I am dispatching assistance to your location. Help coming. Wait. Did you witness the accident? Accident you see q In the home: There will be clues to alert you that a deaf person lives there. E 9-1-1 information Special doorbells / signalers Video Phones Amplified or Captioned Telephones TTY s 20
Alarm Clock SYSTEM TRINE Door Chime with wireless doorbell 21
Jetson s telephone PockeTalker Ultra Comfort Duett 22
Captioned Telephone model 840i model 2400i Model 4425A Printing Teletypewriter Telephone ( VDDHH Standard Model) 23
People with hearing loss tend to get information visually. Your demeanor and facial expressions will be noticed. Shining a light directing into the person s face means you can t be seen. 24
Food for thought 1. For a roadside stop, once I identify an individual as deaf, am I required to get an interpreter? No not by the side of the road, but be CERTAIN you are being understood. 25
2. Am I required to get an interpreter before I can arrest a suspect who is deaf? No, but be certain to have an interpreter or an acceptable alternative means to ensure that the individual understands his or her Miranda Rights before questioning them. I used the term acceptable alternative because not every deaf person signs or reads English well. You could also have a deaf person who is, for example, Hispanic or Asian, and will not understand either written English words or American Sign Language or Signed English. 26
3. How can I explain to a deaf individual the reason I stopped him / her? Show the driver the problem (broken tail light, expired date on license plates) Write down the problem Use pre-printed cards People with hearing and speech disabilities are not the only disabilities with which you need to be prepared. Mobility impaired (wheelchairs, walkers, and crutches) Blind and visual impairments Speech disorders 27
Someone who is legally blind will not possess a driver s license, but you may encounter them in other situations: domestic disturbances, public intoxication, or they could be a passenger in a vehicle driven by someone who is intoxicated or in possession of illegal substances. Legally blind also includes those with a very limited field of vision. Normal vision has a field of vision around 180 degrees, while legally blind has only a 20 degree field of vision (or a ten degree radius). 28
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 The light blue represents 180 degrees And the individual could see all ten number The darker blue represents 20 degrees And only the numbers 5 and 6 would be visible to this individual As with other identified disabilities, blindness and mobility impairment are covered under the ADA, and you must ensure that appropriate accommodations are provided and that you are being clearly understood. 29
Also, be aware that many people with disabilities use service dogs or other animals. It is ONLY permissible to ask what tasks the service animal performs. FAQ s Frequently Asked Questions This slide means we are almost finished 30
You stop a deaf, 36 year old woman for speeding and administer a breathalyzer test, which she fails. You want to arrest and question her. Her 14 year old son, in the vehicle with her, says he can interpret for her. Is this OK? A 54 year old man is seen weaving down the sidewalk, with his service dog. You stop him for questioning, determine he is intoxicated and arrest him. Do you allow the service dog in the cell with the man? 31
You stop a van for speeding. The driver is mobility impaired as a power chair and lift is clearly visible by the officer. The man is profoundly hard of hearing, belligerent, and weights 400 pounds. He says the chair lift is not working and he must be physically lifted into the chair. What is the SOP for this situation? You arrest a man who uses crutches. Your jail is overcrowded and the individual is put into an occupied cell. The other resident has the bottom bunk because he was injured during his arrest. Only the top bunk is available and you have no other cells. What do you do? 32
QUESTIONS??? Questions? Comments? Gary W Talley Community Services Manager VDDHH 33