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Close encounters of the worst kind: When the law meets hearing loss It’snotunusualforadeaforhard-of-hearing(orjustdaydreaming)persontobestartledfrombehind.Itcouldbeabikewhizzingpast,orasalespersontappingyourshoulderbecauseyoudidn’trespondtoagreeting.Or,itcouldbeapoliceofficertellingyou...something.Whathappensifyoudon’trespond,orrespondwithadefensivewordorgesture?Interactionswithlawenforcement,frompolicetojudgestojailors,canbeconfusing,andevendeadly:Yes,peoplehavebeenshotforfailingto“freeze”ondemand.However,therearewayswecanletauthoritiesknowweneedassistancetounderstandorcomply,andtherearepoliciesandproceduresthatcanhelpthemrecognizeandmeetthoseneeds.AccordingtoCliffMoers,DirectoroftheColoradoCommissionfortheDeafandHardofHearingandDeafBlind(CCDHHDB),police,likethegeneralpopulation,don’tunderstandtheneedsofthosewhodon’thearwelloratall:“They’reverynaive,aboutthedeaf,”hesaysthroughaninterpreter.“Whenpolicearenoteducatedenoughaboutthecommunitythattheyprotectandserve,thenitbecomesourdisability.”ThecommissionispartoftheDepartmentofHealthandHumanServices(HHS).‘Istillhavenightmares’Likemostotherstates,Coloradohasamixedrecordinhelpingpeoplewithhearinglossnavigatethesystem.TheAmericanswithDisabilitiesAct(ADA)spellsoutthewaysinwhichpoliceneedtoassistwitnesses,suspectsandvictimswhenrespondingtoincidents,butthatdoesn’talwayshappeninreallife.InAugust2011,EnglewoodresidentWilliamLawrencewasarrestedonawarrantathis

homebyEnglewoodpolice.AccordingtoacivilrightscomplaintbytheColoradoCross-DisabilityCoalition(CCDC)andU.S.DepartmentofJustice(DOJ),Lawrence’shearingimpairmentwasobvious,yethewashandcuffedbehindhisbackandsowasunabletorespondtothenotespolicewrote.“Mr.Lawrencewasnotabletounderstandwhatwasbeingwrittenandthereforehadnoideawhyhewasbeingarrested.Becausehehadnouseofhishands,Mr.Lawrencehadabsolutelynowaytoattempttocommunicatewiththeofficers.”Thatcasewassettledin2013,withArapahoeCountyagreeingtopaydamagesof$35,000andtotrain“allPersonnelwhohavecontactwithmembersofthepublic”ontheirresponsibilitiesundertheADA.AdeafcoupleinLaporte,atowninLarimarCounty,tangledwiththelawbecauseoftheirinabilitytocommunicatewithoutaninterpreter.Accordingtoa2015CCDClawsuit,aneighborcalledpolice,apparentlyoveradomesticdispute.Withoutaninterpreter,theneighbor’smistakenimpressionledtoMelodeeLawson’sarrestovertheprotestsofherhusbandDaleandtheirson.Shewasheldforseveraldaysandthenforcedtoremainawayfromthefamilyhomebyarestrainingorder.“IwasscaredwhenIwasarrestedfrommyhomeandtakentojailwithoutanycommunication,”shesaidinastatement.“Istillhavenightmares;thefrightisstillwithme.”BothDaleandMelodeeLawsonaresuingtheLarimarsheriff’sdepartmentforADAviolation.AsilentwitnessA2016complaintagainstDouglasCountyallegesthatsheriff’sdeputiesrefusedtoprovideinterpretersforawitnessandavictim.Thecomplaintstatesthatdispatchrecordingsindicatethat“noneofthesheriff’spersonnelwerefamiliarwithAmericanSignLanguage(ASL)interpreters,andstruggledwiththedistinctionbetweenASLandotherformsofinterpreting.”Inthiscase,thevictimwasTimothyChevalier,whoisoutreachandconsultativeservicesmanagerfortheCCDHHDB.In2015

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hewasassaultedandinjuredbyarelativeinthepresenceofhiswife,JodieAdams-Chevalier,whoisdeaf.Chevaliercalled911andaskedforaninterpreter,buttherespondingdeputiesdidnotprovideone,thecomplaintalleges.Thesheriff’sdepartment,initsresponse,arguesthatdeputieslocatedaninterpreterinFortCollins,butthatratherthanwaitfortheinterpretertoarrive,theChevaliersdecidedtosubmitwrittenstatements.Thecountyalsoreliedonasomewhatarcanepointoflaw,inwhichtheADAcomplianceruledoesnotapplyunlessthesametypeofdiscriminationislikelytooccurinthefuture.Inotherwords,theplaintiff,orotherswithhearingloss,wouldhavetoexpecttosufferthesameinjury,orcommitthesameoffense,andagainbedeniedaninterpreter.Theconceptisknownas“constitutionalstanding”.CCDCattorneyKevinWilliamsexplains,“Unlesswecanprovetherearealargenumberofindividualswhoaredeafwhoareexperiencingthesameproblem,oritisobviousthattheentityisgoingtocommitthesameviolationsoflaw,itwillbeverydifficult

togetacourttoordertheinjunctivereliefweseek.”Initsmotiontodismiss,thecountyadds,“ThislawsuitisadirectthreattotheSheriff’sabilitytoquicklyandadequatelyrespondtoemergencysituations,acriticalpublicservicewhichisexplicitlyrecognizedandexemptedfromtherequirementsofreasonableaccommodationintheregulationspromulgatedunderTitleIItheAmericansWithDisabilitiesAct(“ADA”).Behindbars,nointerpreterAlawsuitfiledinMay2018byCCDCallegesthatintwoseparatecases,deafwomenweredeniedinterpreterswhentheywerearrestedandheldintheJeffersonCountyjail.Thesuitdemandsthatthecountysheriff’sdepartmentcomplywiththeADAbyprovidinginterpretersonrequestbysuspects.Becauseoneofthewomen,RuthieJordanofWheatRidge,wasalsoheldattheDenverjailanddeniedbothaninterpreterandavideophone,theDenversheriffisincludedinthesuit.Jordanalsowasdeniedaninterpreterathercourthearing,thecomplaintalleges.Chargesagainstherwerelaterdropped.Thesecondplaintiff,MaryPatriciaGraham-KellyofArvada,wasarrestedinherhomeJanuary1,2017,inresponsetoacallfromherdaughter,apparentlyafteranargument.AttheJeffersonCountyJail,shewasdeniedaworkingvideophoneandherdaughter,whowasnotqualified,wasaskedtoactasinterpreter.WhenGraham-Kellydeclined,anunqualifieddeputytriedtointerpret.Graham-Kellywashandcuffedbehindherback,soshecouldnotwritenotes.LikeJordan,shewasdeniedaninterpreterincourt.Shewasreleasedamonthlater.Thesuitsdescribeotherindignities,suchasdenyingvegetarianfoodandofferingotherinmatesassubstituteinterpreters.WhatthelawsaysSection504oftheRehabilitationActwaspassedin1973,makingitunlawfulforrecipientsoffederalfinancialaidtodiscriminateagainstpeoplewithdisabilities.

CastleRockpoliceguidelinesincludethiscardfordeterminingassistanceneeds.

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Thatwouldincludemostpublicagenciesatalllevelsofgovernment.OnJuly26,1990,PresidentGeorgeH.W.BushsignedtheADAintolaw.TheADAisbasedonSection504andismodeledaftertheCivilRightsActof1964,whichprohibitsdiscriminationbasedonrace,color,religion,sex,ornationalorigin.Asitswebsitestates,“TheADAisanequalopportunitylawforpeoplewithdisabilities.”TheDOJissuesregulationsforthelaw’simplementationbystateandlocalgovernments.Theseincludeguidelinesforpoliceofficers(downloadatwww.ada.gov/lawenfcomm.htm).Theyspecifythatlawenforcementagenciesmustprovideassistivedevices(butnothearingaids)orinterpreters,withoutcharge,tocommunicatewithpeoplewhoaredeaforhardofhearing.Theguidelineslistcommon-sensesuggestionsthatcouldserveasreminderstoanyonetryingtocommunicatebetter.Downloadthecompleteguideatwww.ada.gov/lawenfcomm.htm.Afewexamples:

• Facetheperson.• Don’tchewgumorcoveryourmouth.• Don’tassumesomeonewithahearing

aidcanhearyou.• Speakslowlyanddistinctlyanduse

gestures.• Writenotes(oruseacomputer

tablet)tocommunicate,butremembermanypeoplewhousesignlanguagemaynotreadorwriteEnglish.

• Whenusinganinterpreter,lookatthedeafperson,nottheinterpreter.

TheDOJguidelinesalsoexplainhowtotellifasituationrequiresaninterpreter.Forexample,atrafficstopwherethedeafdrivercanreadandunderstandthecitationwouldnotrequirefurtherassistance.However,anotherscenariomightspeakdirectlytothecasesmentionedabove:

Anofficerrespondstothesceneofadomesticdisturbance.Thehusbandsaysthewifehasbeenbeatingtheirchildren.Thewifeisdeaf.Theofficerwritesanotebutshedoesnotcomprehendandrequestsasignlanguageinterpreter.Inthissituationaninterpretershouldbecalled.Ifnecessarytheofficercanmakeanarrestandarrangeforaninterpretertobeatthebookingstation.

Only12compliancepoliciesIn2012,theCCDCsentOpenMeetingRecordsActrequeststo61ofColorado’s64countiesaskingforADAcompliancepoliciesregardinghearingloss;ithadalreadyhaddataontheremainingthree.Ofthe47countiesthatresponded,35hadnowrittenpolicies,and12hadpoliciesthataddressedhearinglossinsomeform.Theremaining14countiesdidnotrespond,althoughseveralcompliedwithfollow-uprequests.Severalcountiesthatwereorderedtodeveloppoliciesfollowinglawsuitshavesinceletthemlapseorsimplydon’ttrainofficerstofollowthem,accordingtoWilliams.“Thereisclearlyalackofpolicyimplementationandenforcementandtraining,”hesays.

CliffMoers,CCDHHDBdirector

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TheArapahoeCountypolicywasupdatedin2016aspartofasettlementagreementintheWilliamLawrencecase.Itstatesthatthesheriff’sofficewillprovide“appropriateauxiliaryaidsandservices,includingqualifiedinterpreters”basedontheperson’spreference.Likeseveralothers,thepolicyincludesaprintedpictogramthatofficerscanholduptoadeafperson.Itasks,inASL,whetherthepersonwantsaninterpreter(seeillustration).Thepolicyalsoestablishesgrievanceproceduresforresolvingcomplaints.AnexampleofacitypolicyisthatofCastleRock.Thatpolicy,whichwasissuedin2014,ispartofasettlementagreementwithCCDC.Itfeaturesthe“yesorno”interpreterpictogram,andspellsouttheoptionswhenanofficermustmakeaquickdecision:

Inemergencysituationsinvolvinganimminentthreattothesafetyorwelfareofanyperson,membersmayusewhateverauxiliaryaidsandservicesthatreasonablyappeareffectiveunderthecircumstances.Thismayinclude,forexample,exchangingwrittennotesorusingtheservicesofapersonwhoknowssignlanguagebutisnotaqualifiedinterpreter,evenifthepersonwhoisdeaforhardofhearingwouldpreferaqualifiedinterpreteroranotherappropriateauxiliaryaidorservice.Oncetheemergencyhasended,themembermustinquireastotheindividual'spreferenceandgiveprimaryconsiderationtothatpreference,beginningwithofferingthedeaforhardofhearingindividual[thepictogram].

TheCastleRockpolicyalsoprovidesacoupleofconcreteexamples:Requestingconsentforasearchismeaninglessifthesubjectcannot

hear,unlesstheofficerprovidescommunicationsassistance.However,thereisnoneedtobringinaninterpreterforasimpledriver’slicensecheck,aslongasthedrivercanunderstandtherequest;thesameappliestoanon-criminalcitation.Asrequiredbylaw,theexistingpoliciescallforappointmentofADAcoordinators,whoseresponsibilitiesincludetrainingemployeeswhohavepubliccontact.ForArapahoeCounty,humanresourcesmanagerJonTakayamahasthatposition.HesaysthecountyconductsannualtrainingonADArules.“Ourpatroldeputiescarryhearingimpairedcardsthathelpcommunicatetothosewithhearingimpairmentsiftheyneedaninterpreter.Ifaninterpreterisneeded,deputieshaveaccesstointerpreterservices24/7,”hesays.Basedonasurveyofwebsites,manyothercountiesandcitiesdonothavenamedADAcoordinatorsforlawenforcement,orthoseindividualsareinchargeofhiringpracticesorpublicaccommodations,notpoliceactivities.

Agrowing—yethidden—problemStatisticsaboutencountersbetweenlawenforcementandpeoplewithhearinglossarehardtocomeby.AccordingtotheColoradoStatePatrol,nostatewiderecordsexistregardingarrestsandincarcerationofpeople

TimothyChevalier,CCDHHDBoutreachandconsultativeservicesmanager

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withhearingloss.However,theDepartmentofCorrections(DOC)annualreportforFY2016statesthattheinmatepopulationisagingasagroup,withnearly4,000inmatescurrentlyage50andolder.Thatisthepopulationmostatriskforhearingloss.AccordingtoDOCspokesmanMarkFairbairn,“Wehaveapproximately200offendersthatweareawareofthathavesomelevelofhearingdisabilityrangingfromcompletelydeaftomild.”AstheCCDC’sKevinWilliamsnotes,publicawarenessofpolicetreatmentofthedeafcomesmainlyfromindividuallawsuits,whichareoftensettledandforgotten.“Weareverydismayedbythefailureoflawenforcementagenciestodowhatisrequiredbylawinthisarea,hesays.“WearefindingthatevenincaseswherewefilealawsuitandreachasettlementagreementthatrequiresthelawenforcementagencytoputpoliciesinplacethatareconsistentwiththeDepartmentofJusticeregulations,theyturnaroundanddothesamethingwithinafewyears.”Evenwhenofficialsseemtocomplywithrequestsforassistance,theresultareoftenineffective,henotes.Insteadofqualifiedinterpreters,theyofferfamilymembers,bystanders,orevenotherinmates.WhenvideophonesandTTYphonesareavailable,theyoftenaredysfunctionalorobsolete.“Often,lawenforcementagenciesdonothaveanyformofeffectivetelecommunicationdevices,andthosethatdousuallyprovideTTYsthatarenolongerinusebyverymanypeople.Inaddition,thelawenforcementagenciesoftenknowlittleornothingabouthowtousetheequipment,”Williamssays.Officialssometimesclaimqualifiedinterpretersarenotimmediatelyavailable.Thatmaybetrueinruralareas,Williamsagrees.However,inurbanareas,especiallyDenver,thereisnoshortage,hesays.Yet,CCDChasseveralsuitspendinginurbancounties,allegingfailuretoprovideinterpreters.Onitswebsite,theCCDHHDBlists15interpreteragencies.MostareinDenver,FortCollinsorColoradoSprings.GrandJunctionandGreelyhaveoneeach.Theaverageannual

payofanASLinterpreterwas$47,190in2017,accordingtotheBureauofLaborStatistics.Payscale.comsurveyedsalariesbystateandfoundColorado’saveragerateis$37perhour.TheneedfortrainingArecentincidentinAurorademonstrateshowcriticalcommunicationisinanemergency,especiallywhengunsarepresent.RichardGaryBlackwasshotandkilledbypolicewhenBlackdidnotrespondtoacommandtodrophisgun—agunhehadjustusedtoshootanintruder.VariousnewsaccountshavespeculatedthatBlack,age73,washardofhearing.Inanycase,heapparentlydidnothearanorderpoliceshoutedfromoutsidehishome.Williamssayswhilemostofhisclientsarepeoplewho,aswitnessesorsuspects,askedforinterpreters,othersneverknewthepolicewerespeakingtothemuntilitwastoolate.“Everysituationwehavehadhasbeendifferent,”Williamssays.“Wehavehadsituationswherepoliceofficershavepoundedonthedoor,ourdeafclientsdidnothear,andwhenthepolicebrokedownthedoor,theywereverybelligerentbecauseofthelackofresponse.”Theabsenceofdepartmentalpolicies,andthefactthatpolicehavemanyotherskillstomasterbesidesrecognizingandmanaginghearingproblems,pointstotheneedfortraining,andtrainingresourcesdependonthesupportofpolicymakers.OutsideofColorado,othervoicesreflectthesameurgency.AmauryMurgado,specialoperationslieutenantwiththeOsceolaCounty(Florida)Sheriff’sOffice,relatesthisstoryintheSeptember20,2013issueofPoliceMagazine:

Duringmyearliestencounterwithadeafsuspect,Ialmostshothim.Ididn'tknowhewasdeaf,andhestartedreachinginhisjacketforwhatIthoughtwasagun.SoIdrewdownonhim.Thenasanyyoungfirst-yearrookiewoulddo,Istarted

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screamingcommandsathim;becauseanyrookieknows,ifthesubjectdoesn'tunderstandyouthefirsttime,shoutinglouderalwayshelpsyougetyourpointacross.Asitturnsout,hewasn'treachingforagunbutforalaminatedcardthatexplainedhewasdeaf,amute,andhaddirectionsforobtaininganemergencycontact.Whenhisemergencycontactarrived,whowasalsoaqualifiedinterpreter,wesortedeverythingout.

Anotherofficercommentsinthemagazinethathenearlyshottwodeafbrothersstealingcementblocks.Lateratthestation,theofficerrelates,“BothyoungmencouldreadandwritesowewerejustgettingbasicIDinformationuntilourinterpreterarrived.Muchtomyamusement,IcouldheartheSergeantscreamingthefifthamendmentrightsathisprisonerintheotherroom.Ipulledhimasideandtoldhimhemightneedtochilloutbeforeheloseshisvoicebecausenomatterhowloudheyelledatthekidheisn'tgoingtohearhim.”MurgadoadvisespoliceofficerstostudytheADAandoffersthefollowingpointstoremember:

• TheADArequiresyoutoaccommodatepeoplewhoaredeaf,mute,orhardofhearing.Failuretodosocanresultincomplaints,lawsuits,andevenconsentdecrees.

• Wrongfularrests,failuretoreasonablyaccommodate,orafailuretotrainofficers,makeupthemajorityofADAcomplaintsagainstagencies.

• Youmighthavetoprovideaninterpreterforlongorcomplicatedtransactions.

• Don'tcoveryourmouthorchewgumwheninterviewingapersonwithhearingimpairment.

• Rememberthatsignlanguageisalanguagealluntoitselfandshouldbetreatedassuch.

AccordingtoMoersandChevalieroftheColoradocommission,policetrainingstatewidehasbeenimproving,withtangibleresults.Thecommissionprovidesdevelopmentprogramsforpolice,detectivesanddetentioncenters,throughgrantawardsandarrangementswithprofessionalorganizations.“Weteachthemhowtocommunicate,howtointeract,”Chevaliersays.However,henotes,lawenforcementagenciesoftendon’taskforhelpfromthecommissionuntiltheyhavebeenorderedtobyajudgeorinasettlementagreement.Lately,thecommissionanditsvariouspartnershavebeenmoreproactive.InAugust2013,theFlatrockRegionalTrainingCenteropenedinCommerceCity.Policecadetsfromacrossthestatereceivetrainingthere,andtheclassesincludeworkingwiththedisabled.StudentslearnabouthearinglossfromexpertsfromtheRockyMountainADACenter,theDenverMentalHealthCenter,andotheragencies.InthefiveyearssinceFlatrockopened,Chevalierhasnoticedsignificantimprovementinbefore-and-aftertestscores.“Ihavedefinitelynoticedanimpact,”hesays.“Personnelcallmewithfollow-upquestions.Someevenwanttolearnsignlanguage.”HowtosurviveanencounterSo,howcanweprotectourselves?Itislikelythatthemostcommoninteractionbetweenhard-of-hearingpeopleandlawenforcementisduringatrafficstop.KatherineBouton,secretaryofthenationalboardofHLAA,postedanarticlecalled“Drivingwhiledeaf”onthewebsiteoftheAARP(visitwww.aarp.org).Init,sherelatesherownexperiencewhenshewaspulledoverbystatepoliceontheMassachusettsTurnpikeafewyearsago.Shemadetworiskymoves,whichshecautionstherestofustoavoid:“Astheofficergotoutofhiscar,Ishouldhaveleftmyhandsonthesteeringwheelwherehecouldclearly

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seethem,butinsteadIreacheduptogetavisorcardidentifyingmeasadeafdriver.Ialsoreachedovertotheglovecompartment(ariskymove,Inowknow)togetmyregistration.IshouldhavewatchedasheapproachedthecarsoIwouldknowonwhichsideofthecartoexpecthim,butIwastoobusyreachingforthings.”Thepoliceofficerapproachedunexpectedlyonthepassengersideandignoredthe“driverisdeaf”card.Hegaveherascoldingthatshedidn’tunderstand.ThestopturnedouttobeamisunderstandingaboutthestatusofBouton’sdriver’slicense,buttheincidentillustratedthepotentialdangerinanypoliceencounter.“Remember,apoliceofficercan'ttellbylookingatyouthatyou'redeaf,”shesays.“Evenifyoutelltheofficeryouhavehearingloss,he'sstillgoingtoexpectyoutoanswerhisquestions.Youneedtobecarefulthatyouunderstandwhattheofficerisasking.Forexample,unlessyouaresureheisaskingforyourregistration,donotjustreachovertotheglovecompartmenttoretrieveit,whichcouldbemisinterpretedasreachingforaweapon.”Anotherdanger,assheandothersontheAARPsitepointout,isfailuretohearasirenorloudspeaker.TheCenterforHearingLossHelp(visitwww.hearinglosshelp.com)hascreateda

visorcardtoalertpolicetoadriver’shearingloss(justdon’treachforit)andhowtocommunicate.Otherstepstotakewhenpulledoverare:

• Openthedriver’ssidewindow.• Turnonthedomelightifitisdark.• Thenkeepyourhandsonthewheel!• Telltheofficer,Ican’thearyou.Iam

deaf(orhardofhearing).• Besuretheofficerunderstandsthat

beforeyoureachforanything.• Watchtheofficercloselyasheorshe

givesyouinstructions.Williams,theCCDCattorney,hassomegeneraladvicewhentryingtocommunicatewithpolice:“Makethemawarethatyouaredeaforhaveahearinglossandwhatyourneedsare,assoonaspossible.Thesoonertheinformationisconveyedtolawenforcementauthorities,thebetter.”Manyofficersassumepeoplewithhearinglosscanreadlipsorwritenotes,butthosemethodsarenoteffective,hesays.Inanycase,prevention,throughawareness,isthebestsolution,accordingtoWilliams.“Mypersonalviewisthatasmuchknowledgeandtrainingascanbeprovidedtolawenforcementagenciesonthesubjectistheonlythingthatreallywillhelp,”hesays.

—PaulaDeJohn