Because they cannot effectively communicate with non-English speakers, even at a basic level, emergency medical personnel cannot ask accident victims where they are injured, and sometimes law enforcement officers are injured or killed through not or misunderstanding. There is a need to properly train police officers on the slang, profanities, gestures, and body language used by the criminal element. Officers must remember that the slang, profanities, idioms and gestures used are ever changing just like the language itself. The majority of slang is to be listened for, not to be used. The conception that having a qualified foreign language speaking officer available for interpretation for a non-language speaking officer is not a viable solution to the problem.
Adequate training is.
Any officer working in a bilingual setting should be able to listen and recognize slang and profane words and possess the ability to interpret basic cultural body language. Body language frequently amplifies a person's intentions. The officer's life may be at stake as well as fellow officers' lives. Frequently I am told by administrators that they have a foreign language speaking police officer available to translate for a non language speaking officer. If one is not available, one can be called to the scene or a telephone translation service can be used.