2022/25186 - Engagement with victims with communication barriers
REQUEST
- Classification
1.1 Do you classify victims with limited or no English speaking, reading and/or writing skills, and other communication barriers as 'vulnerable' under the Vulnerability Assessment Framework?
1.2 If not, has your police force assessed whether having limited or no English skills is a form of vulnerability? (a) If so, what form did that assessment take and what was its outcome; or (b) If not, why not?
- Training
2.1 How many police officers were employed by your force between 1 January 2020 to 1 January 2021? This includes police officers of all ranks from frontline to management, including on duty and off duty officers.
2.2 Please identify what (if any) mandatory training courses the aforementioned police officers employed between 2020-2021 were required to attend on the issue of victims and witnesses with communication barriers1. If no such mandatory training courses are in place, why not?
If mandatory training courses are in place:
2.3 Please specify the contents of the mandatory training courses on the issue of victims and witnesses with communication barriers.
2.4 Please confirm whether the mandatory training courses include:
(a) The legal definition of the term ‘vulnerable’;
(b) Communication barrier indicators such as a lack of English language or disabilities;
(c) The duty of police officers to identify victims'/witnesses' communication barriers;
(d) The duty of police officers to take reasonable steps to ensure that the vulnerable victims and witnesses with communication barriers receive the same service as those without such vulnerabilities, such as securing an interpreter (foreign language/ sign language);
(e) The duty of police officers to take reasonable steps to ensure that the Victims' Code is applied in the same way to victims with communication barriers (this includes the right to receive updates, the right to provide a statement, the right to seek a review of a decision to take no further action);
(f) The mechanisms in place in your police force to assist vulnerable witnesses and victims with communication barriers to give evidence in support of an investigation (such as providing guidance on Achieving Best Evidence (ABE) interviews, special measures at court etc.); and
(g) The duty of police officers to assess victims for Victim Support Services and to make such referrals where deemed suitable.
2.5 Please confirm how many police officers employed by your force (see question 2.1 above) attended and studied the mandatory training courses between 1 January 2020 to 1 January 2021.
2.6 Please confirm the duration and mode (i.e. lecture/e-learning) of the mandatory training courses.
2.7 Please confirm whether the police officers were required to attend Continuing Professional Development sessions on vulnerable witnesses with communication barriers, or whether the mandatory courses were limited to one session only.
2.8 Please confirm how police officers’ attendance and study of the mandatory course were monitored.
2.9 Please confirm how the police officers’ understanding and competence in this course was examined.
2.10 If police officers were examined on this course, please confirm how many police officers successfully passed it. If police officers were not examined on this course – why not?
- Engagement with vulnerable victims of crime
3.1 Does the police force record the number of victims of crime with English as a second language? If yes, how many such victims were recorded between 1 January 2020 to 1 January 2021?
3.2 Does the police force record the first and other languages of victims with communication barriers at every point of contact? If yes, please provide this data.
3.3 Please confirm whether written communications are provided to such victims in easy read or pictorial formats.
- Professional Interpretation and Translation services
4.1 Does the police force organise ‘competent’ and ‘accredited’ interpreters for interviews and translation of key documents for victims with communication barriers? If yes, how many interpreters were organised for such victims between 1 January 2020 to 1 January 2021?
4.2 Please provide all procedures for officers and staff on how to access language assistance services under different circumstances, including when receiving and responding to requests for assistance, making enforcement stops, conducting field investigations and witness interviews, conducting custodial interrogations and performing other law enforcement operations.
4.3 Please confirm the financial budget/funding allocated by the police force for providing the access to professional interpretation, translation services and/or any other tailored support.
4.4 Does the police force have access to a set of volunteers that might enhance language support wherever possible?
- Ancillary
5.1 If you are not able to answer any question in this FOI request, why not?
5.2 If you are not able to answer any question, does the data exist for that question?
5.3 If the data does not exist, why not?
RESPONSE
- Classification
1.1 Do you classify victims with limited or no English speaking, reading and/or writing skills, and other communication barriers as 'vulnerable' under the Vulnerability Assessment Framework?
1.2 If not, has your police force assessed whether having limited or no English skills is a form of vulnerability? (a) If so, what form did that assessment take and what was its outcome; or (b) If not, why not?
Vulnerability is assessed on an individual basis and includes the individual’s self-assessment i.e. do they believe themselves to be vulnerable and if so why, and the subsequent assessment of the member of staff dealing with the contact in respect of the information they gather and assess. There will be occasions where a caller may not deem themselves to be vulnerable, but the police resource identifies vulnerability based on the information the caller has shared. Therefore, there is no default application of determining vulnerability based on an individual’s language ability.
- Training
2.1 How many police officers were employed by your force between 1 January 2020 to 1 January 2021? This includes police officers of all ranks from frontline to management, including on duty and off duty officers.
2.2 Please identify what (if any) mandatory training courses the aforementioned police officers employed between 2020-2021 were required to attend on the issue of victims and witnesses with communication barriers1. If no such mandatory training courses are in place, why not?
If mandatory training courses are in place:
2.3 Please specify the contents of the mandatory training courses on the issue of victims and witnesses with communication barriers.
LESSON TITLE: Criminal Justice – Victims and Witnesses
- What needs might victims and witnesses have?
- Why is it important that these are recognised and addressed?
These questions are raised and discussed with student officers and communication barriers are discussed including the context of support that can be given with victims and witness’ around giving evidence in court.
LESSON TITLE: Communication Skills
Relevant lesson objectives:
- Explain the importance of effective communication in policing
- Identify the barriers to communication
- Describe ways to overcome barriers to communication
- Explain how communication styles can be adapted for different audiences
Pertinent College of Policing Learning Indicators for this session:
Communication Skills
1.1 Importance of communication within policing
1.2 Essential elements of communication:
- Verbal • Non-verbal • Active listening skills • Open and closed questions • Negotiation skills
1.3 Importance of perception and understanding in communication
1.4 Importance, when communicating, of understanding different viewpoints and priorities
1.5 Risks to effective communication
1.6 Impact of effective and ineffective communication
1.7 Models of communication (e.g., voice, neutrality, trustworthiness and respect) in relation to procedural justice
1.8 How to adapt communication styles for different audiences (e.g., young adults/children)
Conducting Investigations
2.5 Potential impact of language barriers upon communication at the scene of an incident (See also under 'Communication Skills')
4.3 Strategies for communicating with victims and witnesses
2.4 Please confirm whether the mandatory training courses include:
(a) The legal definition of the term ‘vulnerable’;
LESSON TITLE: Repeat Victims & introduction to vulnerability
OBJECTIVES: By the end of the lesson learners will be able to:
- Explain what a risk factor and protective factor is and the difference between a risk factor and actual vulnerability
- Define ‘vulnerability’ in the context of operational policing
- State who could be considered as vulnerable
- Explain key considerations when responding to and supporting a person who may be vulnerable
- Explain the initial action to take when dealing with a person who is, or may be vulnerable
(b) Communication barrier indicators such as a lack of English language or disabilities.
(c) The duty of police officers to identify victims'/witnesses' communication barriers.
(d) The duty of police officers to take reasonable steps to ensure that the vulnerable victims and witnesses with communication barriers receive the same service as those without such vulnerabilities, such as securing an interpreter (foreign language/ sign language);
LESSON TITLE: Communication Skills
Relevant lesson objectives:
- Explain the importance of effective communication in policing
- Identify the barriers to communication
- Describe ways to overcome barriers to communication
- Explain how communication styles can be adapted for different audiences
LESSON TITLE: Repeat Victims & introduction to vulnerability
OBJECTIVES: By the end of the lesson learners will be able to:
- Explain what a risk factor and protective factor is and the difference between a risk factor and actual vulnerability
- Define ‘vulnerability’ in the context of operational policing
- State who could be considered as vulnerable
- Explain key considerations when responding to and supporting a person who may be vulnerable
- Explain the initial action to take when dealing with a person who is, or may be vulnerable
(e) The duty of police officers to take reasonable steps to ensure that the Victims' Code is applied in the same way to victims with communication barriers (this includes the right to receive updates, the right to provide a statement, the right to seek a review of a decision to take no further action).
(f) The mechanisms in place in your police force to assist vulnerable witnesses and victims with communication barriers to give evidence in support of an investigation (such as providing guidance on Achieving Best Evidence (ABE) interviews, special measures at court etc.); and
(g) The duty of police officers to assess victims for Victim Support Services and to make such referrals where deemed suitable.
LESSON TITLE: Tier 1 – Witness Interviewing
COLLEGE OF POLICING LEARNING OUTCOMES:
Explain and take into account specific considerations when interviewing victims/witnesses
8.1 Additional support for vulnerable, intimidated, significant witnesses etc.
8.2 Types of witness statements
8.3 Victims Code of Practice
8.4 Achieving best evidence when interviewing victims and witnesses
8.5 Visually recorded interviews
8.6 Importance of informing victims of restorative justice in accordance with the Victims Code of Practice
8.7 Victim personal statements
Bespoke Input delivered to all student officers in initial training by specialist in this field:
Elizabeth Lowther
Head of Victim Services
Department: Criminal Justice
Victims Services - Victim Care Unit
2.5 Please confirm how many police officers employed by your force (see question 2.1 above) attended and studied the mandatory training courses between 1 January 2020 to 1 January 2021.
108 Officers in initial training.
2.6 Please confirm the duration and mode (i.e., lecture/e-learning) of the mandatory training courses.
LESSON TITLE: Tier 1 – Witness Interviewing – 1 day – Lecture
LESSON TITLE: Criminal Justice – Victims and Witnesses – 180 mins - Lecture
LESSON TITLE: Communication Skills – 160 mins - Lecture
LESSON TITLE: Repeat Victims & introduction to vulnerability – 180 Mins - lecture
2.7 Please confirm whether the police officers were required to attend Continuing Professional Development sessions on vulnerable witnesses with communication barriers, or whether the mandatory courses were limited to one session only.
These themes are constantly assessed in context of written examinations, application during practical assessments and are repeated periodically through other areas of policing lessons.
2.8 Please confirm how police officers’ attendance and study of the mandatory course were monitored.
All officers were in initial training so required to attend all sessions.
2.9 Please confirm how the police officers’ understanding and competence in this course was examined.
Written and practical examinations, group work and questions posed in class by trainer to promote discussion and assess formative understanding.
2.10 If police officers were examined on this course, please confirm how many police officers successfully passed it. If police officers were not examined on this course – why not?
All officers were tested and had to pass as a requirement to move from the training school onto their next phase of training.
- Engagement with vulnerable victims of crime
3.1 Does the police force record the number of victims of crime with English as a second language? If yes, how many such victims were recorded between 1 January 2020 to 1 January 2021?
No, we only record ‘language’
3.2 Does the police force record the first and other languages of victims with communication barriers at every point of contact? If yes, please provide this data.
No, we record ‘language’ and ‘language correspondence’ in the persons ‘info’ tab when we first record their personal details. (This data would need to be requested) In Victim Services if we use language line this would be recorded every time we speak to the victim in the notes section (OEL) (this data can’t be pulled).
3.3 Please confirm whether written communications are provided to such victims in easy read or pictorial formats.
Yes
- Professional Interpretation and Translation services
4.1 Does the police force organise ‘competent’ and ‘accredited’ interpreters for interviews and translation of key documents for victims with communication barriers? If yes, how many interpreters were organised for such victims between 1 January 2020 to 1 January 2021?
Yes - We can and do utilise Language line to support dealing with calls in another language where needed. Language line is a confidential service whereby an interpreter is conferenced into the call, and it is managed as a 3 way conference call i.e., Caller, Translator and FCC Operator.
More information re Language line can be found here Interpreting & Translation Services | LanguageLine UK
The only documents translated internally are into Welsh language - everything else is sent to an external provider.
The force utilises the WITS service- Wales Interpretation and Translation Service who provide translations and interpreters for the public sector.
4.2 Please provide all procedures for officers and staff on how to access language assistance services under different circumstances, including when receiving and responding to requests for assistance, making enforcement stops, conducting field investigations and witness interviews, conducting custodial interrogations and performing other law enforcement operations.
As above.
4.3 Please confirm the financial budget/funding allocated by the police force for providing the access to professional interpretation, translation services and/or any other tailored support.
We do hold a budget for Interpreters Fees, Translation Fees and also Appropriate Adults. However, these services are provided to Witnesses and Suspects as well as Victims. Therefore, the budget we hold for the above-mentioned support would not only include support provided to Victims but also to Witnesses and Suspects.
4.4 Does the police force have access to a set of volunteers that might enhance language support wherever possible?
The force does not have access to a set of Volunteers that might enhance language support wherever possible. If we require interpreters, we use an external providing agency.