¿Sabe por qué lo detuve? Stark County officers learn basic Spanish to break down barriers

Stark Parks ranger Julia Edwards knows that language barriers can pose significant problems for authorities, especially in emergency situations.

If two people can't communicate, how can you solve issues quickly?

"I used to work for Summit Metro Parks, and some of our parks are right by the International Institute (in Akron), and it was the same issue where there was a barrier in communicating," she said. "It was sometimes difficult to get ahold of translators right away."

That's why Edwards was one of more than a dozen officers, including Canton Police Chief John Gabbard, taking part in the Greater Stark County Urban League's inaugural "Stark Cops Speak" program. The initiative, launched earlier this year, provided six weeks of Spanish classes to officers working in the county, with a main goal being to improve communication with a growing population.

The county's Hispanic and Latino population increased by 76.3% from 2010 to 2020 to 10,516 residents, which equals 2.8% of the population, according to the U.S. Census Bureau .

Urban League CEO Thomas West said language barriers can be a critical factor in how well officers do their job.

What did officers learn in the Stark Cops Speak program?

The class was led by Syreeta Watkins, a bilingual employment navigator at the Urban League, and Joanna Escobar.

Watkins said they focused on how officers could handle routine traffic stops either bilingually or entirely in Spanish.

In each two-hour session, officers practiced their Spanish speaking, listening and writing skills. They learned phrases typically used in law enforcement, like stating a badge number or asking for a driver's license and vehicle registration.

The phrases included ¿Sabe por qué lo detuve? That translates to "Do you know why I stopped you?"

"It seems like every day we're learning something where it's like 'Oh, I could have used this then' and I'm looking forward to using it in the future," Canton police officer Garrett Marino said. "I think this is a great opportunity to get another tool for my toolbox and to give the Spanish-speaking population of our city the best service we can provide."

Escobar said one of the goals of the initiative was to break down barriers for the Latino population and help them feel safer in dealing with the police.

"I think just with the policemen having basic knowledge of the Spanish language, I think it would really help them," she said.

Canton police officer Michael Braswell, a school resource officer, participated in the program. He encounters many situations where he'd like to speak Spanish.

"Working in the schools with children, there's a lot of Spanish-speaking children that I'd like to be able to speak with," he said.

Watkins praised the officers for taking part.

"If they didn't come, there would be no Stark Cops Speak," she said.

Police Chief John Gabbard: 'I immediately knew our officers and the community would benefit'

Gabbard said he decided to participate in the course to lead by example and because he values efforts to connect law enforcement to the community.

"When I learned about this opportunity, I immediately knew our officers and the community would benefit," he said in a prepared statement. "Law enforcement officers should always take advantage of training that increases the ability to communicate with and understand those in the community with backgrounds and experiences different from theirs."

Justin Laps, the chief ranger at Stark Parks, said initiatives like Stark Cops Speak serve to prepare officers to handle potential barriers in their line of work.

"We deal with a wide variety of people in parks, and many of them do not speak English as their first language," he said. "Having officers that maybe get some vital information from them in an emergency situation, ... it's going to make us better equipped to handle those situations."

Braswell said the skills he learned in the class will translate well to his day-to-day responsibilities.

"I'm definitely excited to expand my vocabulary with [the kids], and I think I'll be able to converse and speak with them even better," he said.

Urban League plans follow-up series

The class wrapped up in July, and West said it was a success.

"One hundred percent of the participants were able to perform the basic commands, and those who attended more than two sessions in the second class were able to complete the basic commands fluently," he said in a prepared statement.

West said the Urban League has received a lot of responses from individuals wanting to continue learning the language.

"We are now in the process of preparing a follow-up series this upcoming winter months focused on Spanish terminology and other needed commands," he said. "We have heard from the fire department and other institutions that are interested in a version of Stark Cops Speaks for their employees."

This article originally appeared on The Repository: ¿Sabe por qué lo detuve? Stark County officers learn basic Spanish to break down barriers