A new text messaging service to enable people who are deaf, hard of hearing or speech impaired to contact Hertfordshire police has been launched to mark National Deaf Awareness Week.
The system is one of a range of initiatives aimed at improving access to police services and has been introduced following consultation with the Hertfordshire Hearing Advisory Service and the Communication Support Unit at Hertfordshire County Council.
The Constabulary's Contact Centre staff have been trained to use the new system and have been receiving Deaf awareness briefings to assist them with delivering this service.
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Head of Contact Management, Superintendent Rob Henry, said: "Some other forces across the country have already begun using this system and we are keen to make maximum use of technology to ensure everyone has access to our services.
"We have put together information leaflets about this new method of contacting us, which are being distributed via support groups and newly-trained Link Officers for the deaf and deafblind across the county."
With deafness affecting an estimated one in seven people in the UK, the constabulary has been developing a number of initiatives to improve service to those affected, including supporting the training of new Link Officers, who have made themselves available to the deaf community via a number of "meet and greet" sessions.
All have completed their training in a nationally recognised qualification and learned to use British Sign Language Fingerspelling, the Deafblind Manual Alphabet and the Block Alphabet.
The number to use is 07786 207 091.
The local Link Officer for the deaf in Watford is Inspector Judith Spencer (judith.spencer@herts.pnn.police.uk).
Posted by: John Howard Norfolk, Tiverton, Devon (formerly Oxhey Village) on 1:30pm Mon 12 May 08
A lot of us with hearing loss do not regard ourselves as part of "the deaf community" and will therefore not be targeted by the police for one of their "meet and greet" sessions. So it would be substantially more helpful if this "news" story actually said exactly what the new system is? Maybe we could have a follow-up by a reporter please?
A lot of us with hearing loss do not regard ourselves as part of "the deaf community" and will therefore not be targeted by the police for one of their "meet and greet" sessions. So it would be substantially more helpful if this "news" story actually said exactly what the new system is? Maybe we could have a follow-up by a reporter please?
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