Language Barriers And Cultural Barriers

An officer must be aware of communication barriers that exist within their job, especially in a society that is increasingly diverse. The two main barriers in such diverse communities are language barriers and cultural barriers (Miller, Hess, Orthmann, 2014, p. 153). In the United States, there are more than 55 million people older than the age of 5 who speak a language other than English at home and 62 percent of this group the language is Spanish (Miller, Hess, Orthmann, 2014, p. 153). In this group, half reported being able to speak English very well, however, the other half reported needing help in some situations (Miller, Hess, Orthmann, 2014, p. 153). There is an increasing number of people who are limited proficiency in English. …show more content…
This stigma of police is brought here and thus creating a communication barrier based upon fear and distrust of government workers. In addition, immigrants may think bringing up any crime victimization to police may question their immigration status or their status of their family members. Because of the image police convey, the position of authority, and the nature of their work, these elements also contribute to a communication barrier. Furthermore, lack of time, use of police jargon, lack of feedback and failure to listen are more barriers police may be inadvertently putting …show more content…
These barriers include language and communication barriers, cultural misunderstandings, mistrust for police and judicial systems, and fear that any contact with police may lead to deportation. Because of these barriers, it has prompted many agencies to examine and rethink how they police immigrant communities (Miller, Hess, Orthmann, 2014, p. 158). To gain the trust of these immigrant communities is incredibly important to police departments who practice community policing. One department in Lexington has partnered with Murrary State University to help bridge the language divide (Miller, Hess, Orthmann, 2014, p. 158). In addition, this partnership provided hands-on cultural training for officers. Furthermore, the Mexican law enforcement agencies host U.S. officers for a 5-week Spanish immersion program (Miller, Hess, Orthmann, 2014, p. 158). They also take American officers along on ride-alongs to observe their policing practices. With a majority of immigrants being Spanish speaking and cultural, this will greatly help police with basic communication, and any cultural differences they may experience. Another thing police are doing in an effort to tackle the language barrier and trust issues is encourage citizens from these diverse ethnicities to join the ranks of their reserve