Support provided for deaf people in police custody

A VIDEO to support detainees who are profoundly deaf in police custody has been produced by the Cheshire Deafness Support Network.
Commissioned by John Dwyer, Police & Crime Commissioner for Cheshire, the video supports deaf people until a trained interpreter arrives to support them, and is believed to be the first of its kind in the country.
Mr Dwyer said: “I have noted the concerns of the D/deaf community in partnership with the Deafness Support Network about how barriers to engaging with the police can be removed. An area of concern for D/deaf people was police custody. For anyone, this can be a worrying environment and even more so when English is not your first language. British Sign Language (BSL) is a language in its own right and some Deaf people do not understand the spoken word as we do.”
Police officers and staff in custody, who become aware that the detainee is having difficulty hearing will be able to show the short video via the on-desk screen which offers reassurance and guidance.
Gill Reeder, Executive − Operations from the Deafness Support Network added: “It is important that detainees understand their rights and entitlements when in custody. Something as simple as a search can feel very invasive to someone with hearing loss. This video has been filmed to offer reassurance and make sure that everyone is treated equitably.”