It’s no secret that law enforcement officers wear many hats. In fact, the title “law enforcement officer” doesn’t seem to encompass the many tasks required of the profession. Peace officers, conflict managers, community relations officers...those are just a few other titles that come to mind. There is one characteristic all of those titles have in common—the need for good communication skills. LEOs have the very tough requirement of communicating with a variety of people throughout the community.
This commitment to communication was on full display when the New York Police Department announced the distribution of information cards to help people who are deaf or hard of hearing with any interaction they may have with law enforcement. The cards, meant to be attached to a motorist’s car visor, provide instructions for drivers in the event that they are pulled over and guidelines for law enforcement officers. The cards allow the motorist to indicate how they communicate (American Sign Language, pen and paper, lip-reading, etc.) in addition to giving LEOs the ability to communicate the reason for the stop. It’s another tool to increase communication between law enforcement and the community.
Across the country in Minnesota, another police department is taking communication improvement to the next level. According to WDIO, earlier this year some members of the Duluth Police Department participated in the “Dale Carnegie Training for Law Enforcement” course, which trained on topics including self-awareness, communication skills and customer service.
Though all LEOs should have a genuine ability and aptitude to communicate with everyone in the community, it’s a skill that can be easily overlooked at some departments. Communication is an art form and just like all other types of training, it’s a skill that needs to be practiced. There are already many ways in which law enforcement encourages communication with community members. One example includes ‘Coffee with a Cop’ events that have been long standing in many cities. Though it’s not a new tactic, perhaps it’s one that may benefit your agency. There are many examples out there of ways in which your agency can improve communication with the community.
Look to technology to help ease communications challenges, too. If your officers deal with non-English speaking demographics on a regular basis, they should consider downloading the Google Translate app, which can help ease the language barrier. Users of the app can speak or type directly into the app and receive a translation, with the added ability to snap a photo and translate text as well. There are many ways in which law enforcement can increase communication with communities—a necessary and important aspect of the profession.
Stay safe, readers!
Adrienne
Adrienne Zimmer | Editor
Adrienne Zimmer was the Editor of Law Enforcement Technology magazine, a monthly business-to-business publication that covers technology trends and best practices for public safety managers from 2017 to 2019. LET is part of Officer Media Group, which also publishes Law Enforcement Product News and Officer.com. Adrienne has been in publishing since 2013.
