FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CR

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 8, 1998

JUSTICE DEPARTMENT REACHES SETTLEMENT WITH OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA

POLICE DEPARTMENT UNDER THE AMERICANS WITH DISABILITIES ACT

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- The Oakland Police Department will

ensure that citizens who are deaf or hard of hearing can
communicate effectively with police officers during traffic
stops, arrests, or criminal interrogations, under an agreement
reached with the Justice Department.

The agreement, which was reached out of court yesterday,

resolves three complaints filed under the Americans with
Disabilities Act (ADA). It sets out the steps that the Oakland,
California Police Department will take to ensure effective
communication with the public.

"All Americans should have confidence in their ability to

communicate with the police officers in their communities," said
Acting Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights Bill Lann Lee.
"Written policies and training are key to ensuring that police
officers provide equal service to people with disabilities."

The Justice Department has reached similar agreements with

police departments in other cities, including Rochester, New
York; Roswell, New Mexico; Glendale, Arizona; and, Montgomery
County, Maryland.

Under the agreement, the Police Department will:

adopt policies for providing effective communication

and publish them as official operating procedures;

distribute and provide instruction on these policies

and guidelines to all officers in meetings within the
next two months;

train jail personnel on how to operate telecommuni-cations devices for the deaf (TDDs) and initiate a
testing program to ensure the TDDs are functioning
properly;

publicize the policies and procedures;

purchase at least one more TDD, and ensure that one of

the televisions provided is equipped with closed
captioning; and,

train all officers about effective communication skills

by April 30, 1999.

The agreement stems from three complaints documenting three

separate incidents between 1994 and 1997. In those incidents,
the Police Department allegedly failed to provide appropriate
auxiliary aids and services to arrestees with hearing
impairments.

In one case, an individual alleged he was denied pencil and

paper and was unable to communicate with jail staff. In another,
an individual was unable to make a telephone call to clear up the
charges against him because no operable TDD was available.

"We appreciate the Oakland Police Department's cooperative

efforts in resolving these complaints," added Mr. Lee.

Title II of the ADA covers state and local government

entities, including law enforcement agencies. The law requires
covered entities to provide auxiliary aids and services,
including qualified interpreters, written materials, and note
pads, in order to ensure that communication with members of the
public who have hearing impairments is effective.

Individuals or law enforcement agencies who wish to learn

more about the ADA are encouraged to contact the Justice
Department's ADA technical assistance hotline at (800) 514-0301
(voice) or (800) 514-0383 (TDD) or to access the ADA Internet
home page at http://www.usdoj/crt/ada/adahom.1.htm..

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