Electronic Gadget Makes Questioning Non-English Speakers Easier, Faster
The Associated Press
BURNSVILLE, Minn. (AP) — Police in this Minnesota community have begun using an electronic device that translates English into 15 languages in just a few seconds, hoping to save time when questioning members of the city’s Somali, Spanish, Russian and Southeast Asian communities.
 | The Phraselator can be “trained” in dozens of languages; in Minnesota, 15 are of particular use. |
Before the department started using a “phraselator” a few weeks ago, officers had waited anywhere from a few minutes to hours to find the right translator.
“It can play a key role in how an investigation concludes,” said Sgt. Brad Leach.
Burnsville is among a few departments in the country using the device, said Shannon Dooman, spokeswoman for VoxTec, the Maryland-based company that designed the translator.
The company made the devices for the military and debuted a customized version for police this summer.
“It’s the same hardware,” Dooman said. “But we’ve tweaked the phrases to apply to law enforcement.”
The hand-held computer translates common law enforcement phrases from English to other languages.
Officers scan and choose phrases that, for example, tell someone they are under arrest and explain Miranda rights. The program also includes investigative questions, such as height or what a suspect was wearing.
The device does not translate answers back into English, so officers encourage people to answer them with gestures, such as pointing to a color or writing down a license plate number.
Officers have to decide when using the $2,300 phraselator is appropriate. Statements for use in court must be made through a certified translator, for example.
“This would never replace a human translator,” Leach said. “Right now, it’s for those preliminary encounters. We’re not using them for full-blown suspect statements that can be used against a person in their arrest.”
Officers recently used the device to explain to a Spanish speaker that her car had to be towed because it was in a heavy traffic lane. Another officer used the translator to explain in Spanish that a motorist had to appear in court.
“If we’re able to break down the barriers, it’s going to help everyone involved,” Leach said.