PROVIDENCE, RI - As part of an ongoing series of law enforcement training programs offered by the United States Attorney’s Office, in collaboration with federal, state and local law enforcement agencies and organizations, approximately 100 members of local and state Rhode Island law enforcement representing nearly every police department in the state attended a workshop on Tuesday addressing Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act. Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act requires public entities such as law enforcement to ensure that their communications with people with hearing disabilities are as effective as their communications with people without disabilities.
The forum included an overview of what the American with Disabilities Act requires, presented by the United States Attorney’s Office and the Rhode Island Disability Law Center; several role-playing illustrations of practical ways to communicate with members of the community who are deaf or hard of hearing by two officers from the Washington D.C. Metropolitan Police Department; cultural competence and awareness of the deaf and hard of hearing language, culture and community by members of the Rhode Island Commission on the Deaf and Hard of Hearing; and a presentation and demonstration of technology options available to assist law enforcement to facilitate communication with members of the community who are deaf or hard of hearing by the Rhode Island Office of Rehabilitative Services.
“United States Attorney’s Office law enforcement training programs such as this one, the recently completed Anti-terrorism Advisory Council training program, and others, are offered to provide law enforcement with information to assist them to better serve and protect all citizens," said United States Attorney Stephen G. Dambruch. “I applaud law enforcement from across the state for their continued commitment to attend these training programs."
The Department of Justice Department has a number of publications available to assist entities to comply with the ADA, including Effective Communication, which provides guidance on the department’s regulations relating to communicating effectively with people who have vision, hearing or speech disabilities. For more information on the ADA and to access these publications, visit www.ada.gov ADA questions or complaints, and requests for training programs, may be sent to the United States Attorney’s Office in Rhode Island by email at usari.civilrightscomplaint@usdoj.gov
United States Attorney Stephen G. Dambruch acknowledges and thanks Assistant U.S. Attorney Amy R. Romero, the Rhode Island Disability Law Center, Rhode Island Commission on the Deaf and Hard of Hearing, Rhode Island Police Accreditation Commission, Rhode Island Relay, and Rhode Island Interlocal Risk Management Trust for their assistance in organizing and presenting this training program.
Source: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of the United States Attorneys
