"Survival Spanish" ฎ

The Realism Perspective

                                              by Robert L. Dent

Senior Trooper, Oregon State Police (Ret.)  

Experience is the greatest of all teachers, but its lessons are often sudden, harsh and sometimes fatal. Those of us who have stared directly into the cold, dark, unforgiving eyes of realism are able to profit from even a fleeting glimpse.  As professional trainers it is our solemn responsibility to share our experience with others.  They will learn quicker and avoid the tragic mistakes that realism and experience have so brightly exposed.  

There is a widely recognized need among public safety officers for the ability to communicate with Spanish speaking people under a wide variety of circumstances while promoting officer safety.  Sometimes these circumstances are life threatening, not only to the officer, but to the suspect or even the law-abiding citizen.  

Public Safety Officers may confront this need on a daily basis.  Furthermore, this involves the largest growing segment of our society.  Public Safety Officers face the potential for tragic misunderstandings when dealing with non-English speaking people.  The learning of simple basic words that are easily recalled through “Dynamic Memory Channeling”ฉ,“cognitive shortcuts,” and realistic experiential training exercises can reduce  those tragic possibilities dramatically.  Too often, officers are only given Spanish language training that involves tedious sentence structure and verb conjugation, which is quickly forgotten under stressful situations.  I have found that police officers are pragmatists who want what works without the superfluous…simply put “Give me the tools to get the job done and cut out the unnecessary.”  Realistically, not all officers have the aptitude or the time to become fluent in Spanish and want what works…  “Survival Spanishฎ.”  

The language barrier has long separated public safety personnel from basic communication with Hispanic people, a barrier that sometimes threatens or costs a life.  All too often it will cost the life of an officer who has received no training in simple, easy, basic "Survival Spanish."7  The term "Survival Spanish"7 encompasses a broad spectrum:  

- It is the ability to commit to memory basic, succinct commands and phrases
               that can make the difference between a simple arrest and a deadly
               confrontation.  This ability provides the officer with the unique tools to gain
               control of situations where he or she has never had control before.  

- It is the ability to promote officer safety, improve community relations and provide an effective, simple method of communicating without be fluent.

- It is the ability to communicate in a basic polite manner in order to elicit co-operation and respect while diffusing a potentially dangerous situation.

- It is the ability to make all involved persons aware, through actions and speech, that the officer is fair and impartial.  It can be very frustrating for an officer to carry out a professional investigation if his communication or attitude is misinterpreted by the victim, witness or suspect.

- It is the ability to communicate to a frightened child at an accident scene that his mother or father will be o.k.

- It is the ability to ask an injured person to point to their injury, such as the neck.  (This would indicate to the officer or paramedic not to move the person, thus avoiding further injury).  

Officers should be aware that the foreign-born may have misconceptions about the police and judicial system.  They may be completely ignorant of the American judicial system as well as their own.  The presumption of innocence is not part of many other judicial systems.  Some foreigners may be too timid to interact widely with persons outside their immediate community and linguistic group.  They may fear the police and what they represent.  Police as professionals should earn and develop the confidence of the migrant or non-English speaking person.  Regardless of perception of guilt, differing cultural values and national origin, officers should acknowledge the humanity of those they encounter.  Remember, that the first impression is a lasting one and sets the stage for the next encounter with the police…it can be a positive or negative one.  

Ongoing training is crucial to learn about differing cultural perspectives.  Understanding these perspectives can enhance the officer's personal safety during escalation of any tensions.  Remember, that actions speak louder than words and often say the wrong things.  Learn the “Silent Signals” of cultural diversity and be aware of what your body language is saying.  

Often, communities of immigrant populations are highly cohesive and rumors of problems with any police officer are perceived to affect the entire community and spread like wildfire.  Conversely, an investigation approached with enhanced professionalism will withstand the scrutiny of open court and enhance the reputation of the officer and his profession within the community.  

Each day, officers who are not properly trained, lose court cases because they have failed to properly advise a person of their rights or ask for consent to search as mandated by law or departmental policies.  Officers through no fault of their own, often cannot communicate at a basic level with victims to obtain timely information, therefore criminal suspects go free.  Paramedics cannot ask accident victims where they are injured, and officers are injured or killed because they cannot effectively communicate with Spanish speakers even at a “survival” level.  

I train many public safety professionals in the United States on "Survival Spanish."  I will illustrate my point on the lack of simple basic language training:  At the start of my classes I ask the students who know how to say "No," in Spanish, to raise their hands.  Of the 30 students, 3 normally will raise there hands.  I then ask the students who do not know to explain what they would say to a non-English speaking, Hispanic suspect if they saw him (for instance) reaching for a gun.  Usually there is no response, or the student is incorrect.   

I point out to the students that if they do not know how to say "No" in Spanish in order to stop the suspect from reaching for a gun, then how they are going to control this situation or any other type of life threatening encounter.  (I point out to the student that “No” in Spanish is the same in English - "No").  The word "No" could be applied to the following circumstances:  

• A suspect suddenly starts to get out of the passenger's side of a vehicle.

• A suspect starts to reach into his coat pocket.

• A victim of a car accident with obvious injuries to the head and neck attempts to move, etc.  

Other examples of the need for learning of basic words and phrases:

Hello              My name is Officer _________.          I stopped you for______________.

Do you understand?       Please show me your identification

Please show me your vehicle registration insurance card

Do you have a _____________?

Thank you           Your Welcome          Can you read?       Can you write?

What is your name?     What is your date of birth?    What is your current address?

This is a warning (or citation)     Go to this court, on this day, at this time.

Are you ill or injured?   May I help you?      You will be o.k.!   May I see your......?      

You are under arrest.      Don't move (If he does, the officer should tell him "NO!")     

Put your hands up! (or behind you)       No talking.

Frequently, I am told by administrators that they have a Spanish speaking police officer available to translate for a non-Spanish speaking officer if they need one.  If one is not available, one can be called to the scene or a telephone translation service can be used.  I then point out to the administrator that the officer in the field cannot wait for the officer to arrive to command the suspect to: Drop the gun!; Put your hands up!, Don't move!, etc.  Nor can he wait to tell an accident victim not to move or to point to where he is injured.  

There is a need to properly train police officers to recognize the slang, profanities and non-verbal signals used by the Hispanic criminal element.  The use of profanity and body gesturing is often an early warning indicator or "RED FLAG" that the encounter is progressing beyond the bounds of polite conversation.  An officer should and must be aware of such a progression.  Any officer working in a bilingual setting should be able to listen and recognize both verbal and non-verbal communication that put their safety or that of their co-workers safety in jeopardy.  Furthermore, officers should be aware of the “silent communication” of tattoos.  Often knowing the meaning of the tattoo can be a wealth of information that will enhance officer safety.  Frequently, the tattoo can be a “Red Flag” of potential violence that can be an indicator of disrespect for the law enforcement officer but a “badge of honor” for the criminal wearing it.  Officers must remember that the slang, profanities and non-verbal signaling used by the criminal element are ever changing.  The need is to provide frequent updated training to stay abreast of the street vernacular is of paramount importance to officer safety and survival.    

These words/phrases are used to disguise their verbal messages and are intended as a secret communication intended for their own kind to warn an accomplice of impending discovery, danger or action anticipated by the officer that will affect their freedom.  Many are pre-attack verbal cues.