Thanks to the assistance of the City of Corvallis Police Department, Oregon Deaf and Hard of Hearing Services (ODHHS), and the great team at Orange Media at Oregon State University, a short on-line video was created that illustrates the new visor and wallet cards that have been made available on a statewide basis to assist with communications between individuals who are deaf or hard of hearing and law enforcement officers.
The video can be found at https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/13rQRfNx1AKUAbHIKYljKzLxSFftXFTIq?usp=sharing
The wallet and visor cards were created through a partnership between the Oregon Association for the Deaf (OAD), the Public Safety Subcommittee of the Oregon Deaf and Hard of Hearing Services Advisory Committee (ODHHS), and the Oregon Department of Public Safety Standards and Training (DPSST) .
The cards, released two months ago, are being distributed by the Oregon Association for the Deaf, and their local and regional partners; the Oregon Deaf and Hard of Hearing Services Program; local law enforcement agencies; and other organizations that work with deaf and hard of hearing Oregonians.
The on-going partnership between the three organizations, OAD, ODHHS and DPSST, has resulted in an update to the basic police curriculum used to train new law enforcement officers, and also deaf and hard of hearing role players who participate in scenario-based training at the Oregon Public Safety Academy in Salem.
DPSST’s Director Eriks Gabliks said “we are very proud of the partnership we have with the Oregon Association for the Deaf, the Public Safety Subcommittee of the Oregon Deaf and Hard of Hearing Services (ODHHS), and ODHHS. Sadly, we know there have been some tragic interactions around the nation involving law enforcement officers and individuals who are deaf or hard of hearing. The visor and wallet cards were designed to serve as a tool to assist with communications between individuals who are deaf or hard of hearing and city, county, state, tribal and university law enforcement officers around Oregon.”
Past President of OAD and current state employee with ODHHS, Chad A. Ludwig said “it take a village’s effort to promote public safety, awareness, and communication. The goal for two-sided visor and wallet communication card to minimize the barrier in the field and allow each member involved in any type of legal related incidents to build rapport. The communication card is not intended to replace trained, certified and qualified sign language interpreters in the legal system. This move is a positive step that improves safety for individuals who are Deaf, Deaf-Blind, Hard of Hearing and those with additional disability as well as law enforcement partners across Oregon.”
DPSST's Director Eriks Gabliks said "the video produced by the Corvallis Police Department, Oregon Deaf and Hard of Hearing Services (ODHHS), and the team at Orange Media at Oregon State University gives a realist view of how communications between those who are deaf or hard of hearing and law enforcement are improved by the new wallet and visor cards. We are very appreciative of the work that was done to create this video and are glad to be a partner in the creation of this important communications tool."
Oregon Deaf and Hard of Hearing Services
http://www.oregon.gov/DHS/BUSINESS-SERVICES/ODHHS/Pages/index.aspx
Oregon Association for the Deaf
Oregon Department of Public Safety Standards and Training
http://www.oregon.gov/dpsst/Pages/index.aspx
## Background Information on the BPSST and DPSST ##
The Department of Public Safety Standards and Training (DPSST) operates the Oregon Public Safety Academy which spans more than 235 acres in Salem. The Academy is nationally recognized for its innovative training programs and active stakeholder involvement. Eriks Gabliks serves as the Director, and Sheriff Jason Myers of the Marion County Sheriff’s Office serves as the Chair of the Board. The department implements minimum standards established by the Board for the training and certification of more than 40,000 city, tribal, county and state law enforcement officers, corrections officers, parole and probation officers, fire service personnel, telecommunicators, emergency medical dispatchers and private security providers.
DPSST provides training to more than 25,000 students each year throughout Oregon and at the Oregon Public Safety Academy in Salem, certifies qualified officers at various levels from basic through executive; certifies qualified instructors; and reviews and accredits training programs throughout the state based on standards established by the Board.