Officer Justin Edberg Police Officer with Casper PD

Officer Justin Edberg -Police Officer with Casper PD (2014 -present) -United Sates Air Force Security Forces member (20102014) -Born and raised in Albany NY

Interacting with Law Enforcement “LAW ENFORCEMENT” ARE THE MEN AND WOMEN IN UNIFORM THAT ENFORCE OUR SYSTEM OF LAWS. LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS INCLUDE POLICE OFFICERS AND DEPUTY SHERIFFS. SITUATIONS INVOLVING AN OFFICER ARE OFTEN A STRESSFUL EXPERIENCE. THEY MAY BE MORE STRESSFUL IF A PERSON WITH A DISABILITY IS INVOLVED. WHY? MAYBE THE OFFICER DOES NOT UNDERSTAND HOW TO WORK WITH PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES. OR MAYBE THE PERSON WITH A DISABILITY IS STRUGGLING TO COMMUNICATE WITH THE OFFICER.

Did you know? People with disabilities come in contact with law enforcement almost seven times more often than those without disabilities. Not all of these encounters are criminal encounters SO HOW CAN WE IMPROVE TOGETHER?

HOW TO COMMUNICATE WITH OFFICERS Tell the officer you are Deaf/Hard of Hearing right away. All officers should have some training on how to interact with people who are Deaf/Hard of Hearing. If you tell an officer that you have a hearing loss, a good officer will use his training and adjust how he expects you to behave in the situation. Get to this place of understanding right away by telling the officer about your hearing loss.

The police expect you to be a little nervous around them. However, the police have also been trained to notice when people are overly nervous or not nervous enough. Behavior related to your hearing loss could cause you to seem suspicious. You can prevent this from happening. Tell the officer about your hearing loss immediately A good officer will understand that you may behave differently than expected in the situation.

What could happen if you do not tell the officer you have a hearing loss?

Example: An officer yells for you to “STOP. " You are a person who is deaf, you cannot hear the officer and continue to move away. In this situations, the officer may mistakenly believe that you are resisting arrest, being uncooperative, or are fleeing from the scene.

TIPS TO HELP WHEN ENCOUNTERING A POLICE OFFICER - Do not run from an Officer - If it appears an Officer is trying to communicate with you, keep hands visible. - Try and communicate with hand sings like point at your ears and shake your head side to side OR try to point at your ears then make an x with your pointer fingers - Another option is to utilize one hand to simulate a piece of paper and utilize the other using a finger and acting like you are writing on your hand. - Establishing a way to communicate quickly is very important.

Example: An officer pulls you over for a non functioning headlight. You are a person who is deaf and the officer asks you to keep your hands on the steering wheel. You cannot hear the officer and begin to reach into the center console for your insurance and registration. The officer may think you are reaching for a gun or covering up illegal activity.

TIPS TO HELP WHEN ENCOUNTERING A POLICE OFFICER TRAFFIC STOPS -Keep both hands on the steering wheel at 10 o'clock and 2 o'clock. -When the Officer approaches, keep hand on the steering wheel. -Try and let the Officer know as quick as possible about your disability. -If using hand signals do not do them directly towards the Officer, so the Officer does not think you are trying to attack the Officer - Attempt a way to communicate with the Officer as quickly as possible. -Do not reach into compartments until there is an understanding about your disability.

What are some ways to tell the Officer you are deaf or hearing impaired?

Carry a pocket-size card with information about your hearing loss. You can make a small card that explains your hearing loss and how you prefer to communicate for example writing/texting, lip reading, sign language/interpreter etc. Include emergency contact information for your family or friends on the card.

The contact person on the card can be the officer’s best resource in emergencies. The contact person can tell the officer how to help you calm down, and can come to the scene to help you and the officer until you are able to communicate yourself through your preferred method.

NOW HOW ABOUT YOU… What can we do as law enforcement to make an interaction easier?

SCHOOL SAFETY

Emergency GO KITS: Specific needs that might arise in the event of an emergency? ❏ Extra batteries for hearing aids, “Go in. Kit” a ❏ Pen or pencil and paper for writing important communication that may not be accessib students during an emergency, ❏ Flashlight and batteries, specifically for students to use to access communication, ❏ Carry apreprinted copy of important messages?

GENERAL SAFETY Use the buddy system. Let someone know where you are going and when you arrive and leave. The find my friends app is a great tool. Always carry an emergency contact number in your wallet. That is where law enforcement looks first Make sure your drivers license information is current Remember if something seems to good to be true, it most likely is. Don’t fall victim to scams, both online and in person

QUESTIONS? ? ? ? ?