Press release from Hertfordshire Police: Twelve Hertfordshire Link Officers for the Deaf have been chosen to start a CACDP British Sign Language course in order to enhance their communication skills with Deaf people in the community. The police-specific course will be run at police headquarters in Hertfordshire.
Sixteen Link Officers have already completed training in CACDP Deaf Awareness and Communication Tactics courses, and five are at various stages of obtaining both units for the full certificate. The request for additional BSL training came from them. There is also a waiting list for more police BSL candidates.
The work of the Herts Link Officer support team, Beccy Driscoll, Deborah Jackson, and others has been invaluable in encouraging the police to make their services more accessible to Deaf communities.
Luton’s Alban Neve Deaf Association (ANDA) has been instrumental in co-ordinating these courses and looks forward to seeing other public service organizations following the police example.
Driscoll comments: “Our thanks to ANDA for co-ordinating our requests and to tutor Jo Thomson for taking us on. Our first course starts in March, so help and support from members of the Deaf community would be appreciated, especially when officers attend Deaf clubs around Hertfordshire and Luton to seek help practicing.”