Policy Text
CATEGORY DATE ADOPTED LAST REVIEW NEXT REVIEW
4 1/24/2011 03/01/20 19 03/01 /2021
TUSTIN POLICE DEPARTMENT GENERAL ORDERS
_____ _____ ______________________________
370 - Hearing Impaired /Disabled Communications 1
POLICY 370 HEARING IMPAIRED/DISABLED COMMUNICATIONS
370.1 PURPOSE AND SCOPE
Individuals who suffer from deafness, hearing impairment, blindness, impaired vision, mental or
other disabilities may encounter difficulties in gaining meaningful access to, o r an understanding
of important rights, obligations and services. In accordance with the Americans with Disabilities
Act (ADA) and Civil Code § 54.1, it is therefore the policy of this department to take all reasonable
steps to accommodate such individuals in any law enforcement contact.
370.1.1 ACCREDITATIONS STANDARDS
This section pertains to the following CALEA Standards : 1.2.3 , 45.1.2, 81.2.1
370.2 FACTORS TO CONSIDER
Because the nature of any law enforcement contact may vary substantially from one situation to
the next, employees of this department should consider all information reasonably available to
them when determining how to communicate with an individual suffering from any disability.
These factors may include, but are not limited to:
a) The extent to which a disability is obvious or otherwise made known to the involved
employee. Impaired or disabled individuals may be reluctant to acknowledge their
condition and may even feign a complete understanding of a communication despite
actual conf usion ;
b) The nature of the disability (e.g., total deafness or blindness vs. impairment) ;
c) The nature of the law enforcement contact (e.g., emergency vs. nonemergency, custodial
vs. consensual contact, etc.) ;
d) Availability of resources to aid in communication .
When considering these and other available information, the involved employee(s) should
carefully balance all factors in an effort to reasonably ensure meaningful access by individuals
suffering from apparent disabilities to critical services , while not imposing undue burdens on the
department or its officers.
370.2.1 INITIAL AND IMMEDIATE CONSIDERATIONS
Recognizing that various law enforcement encounters may be potentially volatile and/or
emotionally charged, department employees should remain alert to the possibility of
communication problems and exercise special care in the use of all gestures, and verbal and
written communication in an effort to minimize initial confusion and misunderstanding when
dealing with any individual(s) with known or suspec ted disabilities or communication impairments.
CATEGORY DATE ADOPTED LAST REVIEW NEXT REVIEW
4 1/24/2011 03/01/20 19 03/01 /2021
TUSTIN POLICE DEPARTMENT GENERAL ORDERS
_____ _____ ______________________________
370 - Hearing Impaired /Disabled Communications 2
370.3 TYPES OF ASSISTANCE AVAILABLE
Depending on the balance of the factors available for consideration at the time, this department
will make every reasonable effort to provide meaningful and timely assis tance to disabled
individuals through a variety of services, where available. Disabled individuals may elect to
accept such assistance at no cost , may choose to provide their own communication services at
their own expense , or any combination thereof. In a ny situation, the individual’s expressed choice
of communication method shall be given primary consideration and honored unless the employee
can adequately demonstrate that another effective method of communication exists under the
circumstances.
Officers should document the type of communication utilized in any related report and whether a
disabled or impaired individual elected to use services provided by the department or some other
identified source.
370.3.1 FIELD RESOURCES
Individual officers and employees are encouraged to utilize resources immediately available to
them in any contact with a known or suspected disabled or impaired person. Examples of this
would include such simple methods as:
a) Hand gestures or written communications exchanged betw een the employee and a deaf
or hearing impaired individual ;
b) Facing an individual utilizing lip reading and speaking slowly and clearly ;
c) Slowly and clearly speaking or reading simple terms to any visually or mentally impaired
individual .
370.3.2 AUDIO RE CORDINGS AND ENLARGED PRINT
From time to time, the department may develop audio recordings of important information needed
by blind or visually impaired individuals. In the absence of such audio recordings, employees may
elect to read aloud a department fo rm or document such as a citizen complaint form to a visually
impaired individual or utilize a photocopier to enlarge printed forms for a visually impaired
individual.
370.3.3 TELEPHONE INTERPRETER SERVICES
The Watch Commander and Communications Supervi sor will maintain a list of qualified
interpreter services to be contacted at department expense to assist deaf or hearing impaired
individuals upon approval of a supervisor. When utilized, notification to such interpreters shall be
made at the earliest re asonable opportunity and the interpreter should be available to respond
within a reasonable time (generally not to exceed three hours).
CATEGORY DATE ADOPTED LAST REVIEW NEXT REVIEW
4 1/24/2011 03/01/20 19 03/01 /2021
TUSTIN POLICE DEPARTMENT GENERAL ORDERS
_____ _____ ______________________________
370 - Hearing Impaired /Disabled Communications 3
370.3.4 TTY AND RELAY SERVICES
Individuals who are deaf or hearing impaired must be given the opportunity to use avai