Editorial: We need more bilingual officers

[NewsHound]

The Census Bureau estimated in 2006 that 14 percent of the population of Lee County speaks only Spanish - more than 77,000 people. No wonder Spanish-speaking police officers and other emergency personnel are in demand.

Lots of agencies are faced with the challenge of communicating with people who speak little or no English.

It's controversial. Many English-speakers believe newcomers should simply learn English, and should not be catered to if they don't, by government or business.

We believe newcomers have an obligation to learn English for their own good and the unity of America, and that most are eager to do so, given the chance. Expanding English instruction for speakers of other tongues is a major challenge, and should be a high priority.

But in the case of emergencies, communication can be a matter of life or death, or of catching a violent criminal. No time to assimilate when the baby's turning blue or a mugger's to be pursued.

With this many people speaking only Spanish, agencies need more bilingual officers. It's a practical question of more effective law enforcement and getting crooks off the street who threaten all of us.

Aggressive recruiting in recent years has increased the number of bilingual police officers, but the agencies still lag, given the growing Hispanic population and the increasing numbers affected by crime. At the sheriff's office, about 90 of 1,510 employees speak Spanish, 11 of 252 at the Cape Coral Police Department and 13 of 200 at the Fort Myers Police Department.

Spanish speakers are assimilating rapidly, if by assimilation one means learning English and embracing America's opportunities and obligations.

But in the meantime, common sense demands that emergency agencies reach out to speakers of Spanish and other foreign languages.

By the way, the myth that this was never done in the past is dear to people who scoff at such efforts. In fact, the arrival of immigrants in America has always resulted in the hiring of cops and others who could talk to them.

Source Southwest Florida's News-Press, 9/9/2008

how about teaching these illegal immigrants English, so we dont have to get spanish speaking officers. Whats next seeking arabic officers to speak arabic

how about teaching these illegal immigrants English, so we dont have to get spanish speaking officers. Whats next seeking arabic officers to speak arabic

Is there a large Arabic speaking community we serve? Spanish is well on its way to becoming our nation's second language, so you might as well assimilate and learn it, pal. Within twenty years the whites will be America's minority, so get on board and learn to speak the language of the majority.

[Unregistered]

Source Southwest Florida's News-Press, 9/9/2008

With the unfortunate mess on the border and state of affairs we need to hire more bilingual deputies. We have for a very long time

[Unregistered]

With the unfortunate mess on the border and state of affairs we need to hire more bilingual deputies. We have for a very long time

As you beat them they start to speak english, so **** them.

[Unregistered]

With the unfortunate mess on the border and state of affairs we need to hire more bilingual deputies. We have for a very long time

I agree. Lets reflect the community and hire more bilingual deputies

[Unregistered]

I agree. Lets reflect the community and hire more bilingual deputies

We don't need more spiks

[Unregistered]

We don't need more spiks

Typical racist we need to root out
We need more minorities in this agency

[Unregistered]

yo habla esponal..........

[Unregistered]

If you want bi-lingual deputies, pay them. Only way I’ll use a second language is if it’s a life or death situation.