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NYPD LANGUAGE ACCESS PLAN

Raymond W. Kelly Police Commissioner Michael J. Farrell Deputy Commissioner Strategic Initiatives April 2009

THE NYPD LANGUAGE ACCESS PLAN FOR LIMITED ENGLISH PROFICIENT PERSONS

I.

Mission The Police Department (NYPD) is committed to providing, with the utmost

integrity and respect, a safe and secure environment for the public. The personnel assigned tothe Department's seventy-six precincts, twelve Transit Districts, nine Housing Police Service Areas and other investigative and specialized units, protect life and deter crime while responding to emergency calls and impartially enforcing the law. NYPD protects the City from crime and terrorism, utilizing sophisticated intelligence gathering and analysis, citywide counterterrorism deployments suchas Operation Atlas, and focused crime deployments such as Operation Impact as well as department-wide training to enhance response capabilities. Direct Services The services that the New York City Police Department provides to the public are non-programmatic in nature. The New York City Police Department primarily performs law enforcement services for the people of the City. The Departmentenforces the laws, protects lives and property, maintains peace, reduces fear and maintains order.

The Department provides a wide array of direct services to the public, including, but not limited to: • • • • • • • • Investigate reports of crimes Investigate motor vehicle accidents Respond to sick or injured persons Respond to other emergencies reported to “911” as necessary Investigate missingpersons Enforce violations of the law, both criminal and traffic, through summonses and arrests Investigate domestic incidents Mediate disputes 1

NYPD - Language Access Plan

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Recover found property Document lost property Fingerprint civilians Provide firearm licenses Provide certificates of good conduct Provide safety and security services for public schools, public housingdevelopments, and mass transit facilities The Department’s direct services may be provided in the field or at a point of

service police facility (precinct, housing public service area, transit district). In either case, the protocol remains the same. Officers are trained at the Police Academy and during in-service training to obtain interpretation services when dealing with a LEP individual either viathe Operations Unit for the response of a Department interpreter or via Language Line for telephonic interpretation.

The decision of whether to use Language Line or a live interpreter is made by the highest ranking member of the service on the scene based on the totality of the circumstances (language required, availability of live interpreters, exigency of the situation, etc.). In many cases,other than for ongoing investigations and document translation, the most efficient method of obtaining interpretation services is through the Language Line service.

II.

Goal of the NYPD’s Language Access Plan The New York City Police Department recognizes the importance of effective and

accurate communication between its employees and the community they serve. Consistent with Mayor’sExecutive Order 120 of July 22, 2008, it is the policy of the New York City Police Department to take reasonable steps to provide timely and meaningful access for LEP persons to the services and benefits that the Department provides to the degree practicable. When performing law enforcement functions,

members provide free language assistance to LEP individuals whom they encounter when necessary orwhenever an LEP person requests language assistance services. It is the NYPD - Language Access Plan 2

policy of this Department to inform members of the public that language assistance services are available free of charge to LEP persons. The Department provides these services to them as part of the Department’s community policing and enforcement efforts.

The Commanding Officer of the...