Minimizing Language & Cultural Roadblocks

Airs: December 11, 2008
Sponsor(s): MCTFT

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Hispanics and other nationalities are growing populations in the United States and unfortunately, language barriers often prevent law enforcement from performing their responsibilities safely and effectively. Not being able to understand and communicate during traffic stops and search warrants can only invite confusion and miscommunication if an officer is not familiar with a language. This growing problem can jeopardize the safety of an officer and his/her team.

Problems are acute while performing field sobriety tests (FSTs), during which an officer may not be able to properly explain the tests. In the most extreme situations, impaired motorists have been released because the police officer could not communicate with the driver. Basic knowledge of important compliance commands is crucial for officer safety in today's society.

�Minimizing Language & Cultural Roadblocks� is a one hour training broadcast that provides law enforcement officers with basic Spanish and other cultural language skills. During this broadcast two scenarios will prepare non-Spanish-speaking officers to use necessary Spanish compliance commands in order to handle busts, arrests, and searches and seizures associated with illegal drug activity.

Learning Objectives:

• Learn Spanish phrases to help officers and first responders:

  • Make arrests and ID individuals

  • Enter and search a premise

  • Carry out a street bust

  • Stop and search suspects

  • Locate drugs

  • Maintain control of suspects through voice commands

  • Obtain consent to search a vehicle

  • Interpret body language messages and identify potential dangers

  • Use Spanish drug terminology

  • Recognize offensive or threatening words

• Find out important information about other cultures that can pose potential language barriers and miscommunication

• See how a situation where a language barrier is a problem could quickly escalate and learn how to prevent

Content Providers:

Lt. Bob Alfonso, Pinellas County, FL Sheriff�s Office

Lt. Bob Alfonso is a supervisor in the narcotics division with the Pinellas County Sheriff�s Office in Florida. Since his career began in 1982, he has been assigned to patrol, field training, narcotics, school resource officer, patrol supervisor and internal affairs. Bob has also been in narcotics since 1984 as an undercover investigator. Lt. Alfonso has also spent one year working as a police monitor for the United Nations Police Task Force in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Lt. Alfonso is a fluent Spanish speaker.

Sgt. Darren Romero, Pinellas County, FL Sheriff�s Office

Sergeant Darren Romero has 24 years of dedicated service with the Pinellas County Sheriff�s Office in Florida. He is a veteran of the United States Air Force and has worked in undercover narcotics, traffic enforcement and community policing.  Sgt. Romero has also worked in patrol, selective traffic enforcement program, as a vice and narcotics detective, undercover, economic crimes detective, Cpl. and supervisor in the community policing unit as well as a patrol supervisor. Sgt. Romero is a fluent Spanish speaker.

Deputy Jon Lopes, Pinellas County, FL Sheriff�s Office

Deputy Jon Lopes has been with the Pinellas County Sheriff�s Office in Florida for 13 years and was also with the City of Dunedin Police Department for 12 years. Jon is currently assigned to the Traffic Enforcement Division. Deputy Lopes works in large Hispanic populated neighborhoods and is now comfortable with communicating with citizens utilizing basic Spanish. Deputy Lopes was a non-Spanish speaker who learned the basics of the language.

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