The Hazleton Police Department (HPD) and the City of Hazleton, Pennsylvania, have agreed to improve language access for limited English proficient (LEP) residents after the US government launched an investigation into allegations of language barriers.
The investigation, led by the US government’s civil rights division, was sparked by a complaint from the Community Justice Project on behalf of an LEP resident who was forced to rely on his child and a coworker to communicate with the police.
According to the US government, the HPD has agreed to implement new language access procedures, including providing bilingual officers and translating forms and notifications into Spanish.
‘The timely and accurate communication between LEP residents and law enforcement is essential to public safety,’ said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke. ‘The changes required by this settlement will benefit victims and witnesses, but also help law enforcement officers do their job.’
The settlement requires the HPD to publish a new standard operating procedure on language access and provide training to officers on how to access interpreters or translations.
The US government’s civil rights division prioritizes enforcing Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which prohibits discrimination based on national origin by recipients of federal funds, such as the HPD.
Defendant: Hazleton Police Department (HPD)
Exact criminal charges: Failure to provide adequate language access
City and state: Hazleton, Pennsylvania
Exact date: Not specified
Sentence or outcome: Settlement agreement
Dollar amounts: Not specified
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Key Facts
- State: Pennsylvania
- Category: Public Corruption
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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