NYPD cops undergo sign language training to better communicate with deaf and hard-of-hearing communities

Recruits learned crucial signs for words like “interpreter,” “cop,” “ambulance” and “help,” practicing these scenarios with volunteers

April 19, 2024 11:54 AM

NYPD cops undergo sign language training to better communicate with deaf and hard-of-hearing communities — “No one wants to be in that position where something horrible happens, and you’re trying to figure out how to help when you can’t,” Garcia said. “It’s frustrating for the deaf or hard of hearing person and frustrating for the person who’s trying to help. But we have to equip everybody with those resources so they can be better cops.”

By Joanna Putman
Police1

NEW YORK — NYPD officers are undergoing American Sign Language (ASL) training to enhance communication with the deaf and hard-of-hearing community, QNS reported.

Over 600 NYPD recruits participated in basic ASL instruction at the Police Academy in College Point, aligning with efforts to commemorate American Sign Language Day on April 15, according to the report.

“The core job of what we do requires communication, and that response time is critical,” Deputy Commissioner of Equity and Inclusion Wendy Garcia stated. “So, we want to make sure that we have the resources the same way we have the resources to do CPR.”

The training is part of a broader department-wide ASL program aimed at ensuring all city officers acquire basic sign language skills, according to the report. Fifteen officers are advancing toward national certification as ASL interpreters, chosen for their proficiency in ASL or their eagerness to learn advanced signing.

As part of a recent @NYPDEquity initiative, over 600 recruits received basic ASL training on how to identify themselves as police officers, as well as how to determine types of emergencies being required by hard-of-hearing people.

Read more on how the NYPD aims to ensure… pic.twitter.com/csdqNCeO2u
— NYPD NEWS (@NYPDnews) April 16, 2024

All training sergeants have recently completed ASL training and will disseminate this knowledge across their precincts, addressing the communication needs of the city’s estimated 175,000 deaf or hard-of-hearing residents. Recruits learned crucial signs for words like “interpreter,” “cop,” “ambulance” and “help,” practicing these scenarios with volunteers, including simulating a traffic stop with a driver who is deaf, according to the report.

Additionally, officers now have access to a language line via their work phones, which provides live translation services for various languages, including ASL through video calls with interpreters.

“No one wants to be in that position where something horrible happens, and you’re trying to figure out how to help when you can’t,” Garcia said. “It’s frustrating for the deaf or hard of hearing person and frustrating for the person who’s trying to help. But we have to equip everybody with those resources so they can be better cops.”