NCJ Number
144857
Journal
Law and Order Volume: 41 Issue: 9 Dated: (September 1993) Pages: 69-71
Date Published
1993
Length
3 pages
Annotation
Law enforcement officers should learn a few basic words in Spanish to avoid tragic misunderstandings that can lead to a police fatality or other serious problem when dealing with a Spanish-speaking person who does not speak English.
Abstract
Police officers should memorize basic, succinct commands and phrases to assure their safety, improve community relations, and provide an effective method of communicating. By using basic Spanish, the police officer can ask an injured person to point to the injury, communicate with a frightened child at an accident scene, and communicate in a polite manner to elicit cooperation and respect while addressing a potentially dangerous situation. Ongoing training is also crucial to learn about differing cultural perspectives. Police officers should also learn the slang and profanities used by Hispanic criminals. Photograph and list of Spanish words and phrases that indicate an imminent attack