By Kari Petrie, [email protected]
Saturday, December 08, 2007
The department wants to hire a part-time interpreter who can be at the department regularly so investigators can ask residents to come in at certain times and Somali residents know when it will be easiest to report a crime.
The department is looking to secure grant money to pay for the position.
"The biggest obstacle we have with the Somali population is the language barrier," Sgt. Lori Ellering said.
The issue has come up even during straightforward investigations such as traffic crashes, she said. Police may have to rely on family members or children to interpret, which isn't always reliable.
Now, the department hires an interpreter when necessary, a system that can be expensive, Ellering said.
It's important that members of the Somali community know they can come into the department and have their concerns addressed, Police Chief Dennis Ballantine said.
"We want to build their comfort to come in," he said.
Source: St. Cloud Times, Dec 08, 2007