Police launch new service to help people who use British Sign Language
Devon & Cornwall Police have launched a new service to help residents and visitors to the area who use British Sign Language to contact the police in a non-emergency.
British Sign Language users who need to contact the police can now use SignLive who will translate their British Sign Language discussion and relay this information to the force’s contact centre.
The new service will hopefully improve engagement with people who are wanting to contact the police but may struggle using some of the more traditional methods of contact.
Anyone wanting to use the service, should download the app or visit the SignLive website - www.signlive.co.uk where they can select Devon & Cornwall Police from the list of organisations. A video conversation will begin between a BSL interpreter and user, the interpreter will then contact the force directly and relay the message. Both the user and interpreter will stay on the call with the police for as long as required allowing further questions to be asked and more information provided if needed.
The service also enables the police to call the user back should they need more help or to follow up.
This new service forms part of a larger project within Devon & Cornwall Police to help enable everyone to access the police in the easiest and most appropriate way for them.
This service should only be used for non-emergencies. In an emergency people who use British Sign Language should send a SMS/ Text to 999 Emergency. People must register before using his service, to register please visit the Emergency SMS website.
Corporate Equality and Diversity Sergeant Mark Arthurs, from Devon & Cornwall Police said: “We are really pleased to launch this service and provide an innovative way to improve our contact channels to people who are deaf or hard of hearing.
“This opportunity to work alongside the professional interpreters from SignLive will enable us to reach out to those who may not have been able to contact us so easily in the past. We hope that this enables British Sign Language users to feel more comfortable in contacting us.
“There are now many ways people can contact us without needing to call, these include WebChat, using our online crime reporting form and emailing questions and reports to our 101 email -101@dc.police.uk. We also have AskNED our online directory which provides answers to the most commonly asked questions. We hope the variety of channels make contacting the police easy and accessible to all.”
--- Note to readers: This message has been disseminated by Devon and Cornwall Police - please visit their official website for further information.
