How do deaf people talk to the police?

People who are deaf, deafblind or hard of hearing may text 911 or call 911 using their preferred form of phone communication (including voice, TTY, video relay, caption relay, or real-time text).

Can you join the police if you are deaf?

The vast majority of job roles are open to deaf people. However, there are a few roles where a specified level of hearing is necessary to enter the profession. There is a national standard for the hearing level of police recruits.

Can deaf people know their rights when interacting with police?

Marlee Matlin — who is deaf and the wife of a police officer — teamed up with ACLU and HEARD (Helping Educate to Advance the Rights of the Deaf) to produce an American Sign Language video to ensure deaf people know their rights when interacting with law enforcement. (PoliceOne Image)

What does police compliance with the ADA mean for the Deaf?

For the deaf, police compliance with the ADA translates to employing or contracting with qualified American Sign Language interpreters and making available remote interpreting services, among other measures. It’s difficult to quantify how often deaf Americans are denied services, or how often their interactions with police turn sour.

How do police officers communicate with hearing-impaired subjects?

Some departments have made it a policy to use pre-printed signs in order to communicate with hearing-impaired subjects. Others have instructed officers to communicate by writing on a piece of paper.

Do police officers use dash-cam tapes of deaf people?

Amber Farrelly, a criminal-defense attorney in the city who represents deaf clients, alleged officers don’t use them: “I watch these dash-cam tapes all the time. Ninety-eight percent of the time, there’s no interpreter ever called,” Farrelly said.