Policy Text
TRAINING BULLETIN
Evaluation Coordinator: Commander
Automatic Revision Cycle: Years
partment Training Bulletins shall be used to advise members of current police techniques and
procedures and shall constitute official policy.” Index Number: VIII-F
Alpha Index: Physically Handicapped Date of Issue / Revision
10 Aug 01
“De
Police Response to Ph ysically Handicapped
Rights of the Physically Handicapped
The Oakland Police Department's position in regard to the physically handicapped is consistent
with its organizational values and operating philosophy: "We value and respect the rights and
dignity of all persons. Enforcement action is taken only upon observation of violations of the law."
In contacts with the physically handicapped, officers shall display behavior that reflects the
Department's philosophy and their informed understanding of the principles outlined in this Training Bulletin.
Section 54 of the Civil Code states that physically handicapped citizens are entitled to full and
equal access to all public transportation, accomm odations, amusements, resorts, or other places to
which the general public is invited. Blind and visually handicapped citizens may be accompanied by guide dogs. Deaf persons may be
accompanied by signal or "hearing dogs," which ar e trained to alert their users to sounds. The
physically disabled may be accompanied by "assist ance dogs," which are tr ained to fetch dropped
items, pull wheelchairs, and give other aid.
This Training Bulletin discusses, in turn, the police response in incidents involving the deaf, the blind, and those for whom a wheelchair is the primary means of mobility.
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Physically Handicapped, Index Number VIII-F
The Deaf
Introduction
There are two and one-half million deaf persons in the United States. Approximately 35,000 deaf
people live in the Bay Area.
Deafness varies from person to person; it is not a simple or a uniform handicap.
Some persons are born deaf; some lose their hearing after they have learned to speak. Some
persons who can hear loud, low frequency noises cannot hear words or mu sic. The handicap all
deaf persons share is an inability to communicate easily in "the hearing world."
Hearing disabilities often involve corresponding degr ees of speech impairment. Because they have
never heard normal speech sounds, most persons who are born deaf never learn to speak clearly. In
addition, many deaf persons read and write poorly.
Lip Reading and Sign Language
The techniques deaf persons rely on to alleviate the communication problems caused by their
handicap are lip reading and sign language.
Under ideal conditions, a good lip reader can accurately read about 25% of the words spoken by a
person standing in the lip reader's direct line of sight.
Most deaf people use sign language to communicate. American Sign Language (ASL) has its own
grammar and sentence patterns. In general, an ASL sign stands for a concept or an idea. Deaf
people use finger spelling to supplement ASL.
Police Contact with the Deaf
Most contacts between deaf persons and the police occur during traffic stops.
During a traffic stop or an investigation, a deaf person, like any other citizen, has the right to know
why he or she is being stopped or detained.
In an arrest situation, an officer shows a deaf person a printed statement of the Miranda Warning
(Statement Form 536-200-1) and in dicates in writing that the adm onition applies to anything the
deaf person might say or write. The suspect should understand that he or she can contact an
attorney.
In any official contact with a deaf person, an officer attempts to keep the upper portion of his or
her body visible so the deaf person can see the of ficer's facial expressions and body movements.
If communication is difficult, an officer can ask the deaf person in writing whether he or she wants
an interpreter. If the response is affirmative or if the officer determines that writing is not an effective means of communication, the officer shall contact his or her supervisor and inform the supervisor of the problem.
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10 Aug 01 ● Oakland Police Department
If the supervisor cannot resolve the difficulty, the supervisor determines whether an officer fluent in sign language can be sent to the scene. If th e event is an emergency or circumstances exist that
require the presence of an interpreter, the su pervisor shall advise the Watch Commander, who
shall determine whether the expense of an interpreter is warranted.
An officer retains his or her written notes of co mmunication with a deaf person and incorporates
them in reports completed in connection with the incident.
Interpreter Service
Interpreter service is provided by contract between the Oakland Police Department and the
organization listed below. Hands on Service
P.O. Box 550
Rocklin, CA 945677
Voice: 1-800-600-6145
TTY: 1-800-900-9479, FAX: 1-888-600-9477
TTY's
A TTY is a mechanism with a keyboard and prin t-out capability which together allow a deaf
person to conduct a telephone conversation in print rather than in speech. By calling one of the Department's TTY numbers, a deaf person can complete business
transactions with the Police Department.
The following areas have TTY machines:
Communications Division: TTY Number: 911 Emergency, 777-3333 Non-Emergency
Records Division: TTY Number: (510) 238-3227
Procedures for receiving 911 calls from the deaf are outlined in Communications Division policies
and procedures.
East Bay Referrals for the Deaf
Deaf Counseling, Advocacy and Referral Agency (DCARA) 14985 East 14th Street, Suite 200
San Leandro, CA
Voice: (