BENTONVILLE -- Allanah Rodriguez hopes a simple placard will defuse any potential misunderstanding between police and deaf drivers.
Rodriguez, director of the Arkansas chapter of We the Deaf People, and Gene Page, a Bentonville police officer, came up with the idea for the sign.
We the Deaf People
The national organization for We the Deaf People is located in Rochester, N.Y.
For more information visit www.wtdp.org.
Source: Staff report
The two-sided placard is designed for deaf drivers to keep in their vehicles. One side displays the word "Deaf" along with the universal deaf symbol. The other side offers a visual menu of questions and answers the officer and driver can point to to clarify the reason for a traffic stop or documents needed following a wreck.
A driver can present the placard to an officer to identify he is deaf, said Bentonville Police Chief Jon Simpson.
"That placard is really helpful," said Rodriguez, who has taught basic sign language to some Bentonville police officers.
It is the drivers' responsibility to keep the placards in their vehicles, Rodriguez said. Anyone interested in a free placard can email Rodriguez at [email protected]. The U.S. Census Bureau estimated 52,197 people between the ages of 18 to 64 with a hearing disability lived in Arkansas in 2014.
Bentonville police don't interact with many deaf drivers, but Simpson believes it's important officers be able to communicate with them. He said no one incident led to the collaboration.
Jayson Lawson filed a lawsuit in September 2015 against the Benton County Sheriff's Office in connection with his September 2012 arrest. Lawson claims deputies attempted to question him but did not take into account he is deaf and communicates with American Sign Language.
The lawsuit claims the Sheriff's Office failed to provide deputies with appropriate training regarding the rights of individuals who are deaf or hard of hearing under the American Disability Act and state disability rights laws.
Lawson was arrested for driving while intoxicated. The case later was dismissed, but the lawsuit has not been resolved.
Some police officers might become anxious after they encounter a deaf person, especially if the officers are not familiar with the deaf community, Rodriguez said.
"The person may be trying to communicate by signing, and the officers could be confused by the person's gestures and body movements," she said.
Rodriguez works from her Bentonville home for the nonprofit organization, whose Arkansas chapter started two years ago. She works with three assistants and other advocates to spread the word about the group.
Lt. Derek Wright with the Springdale Police Department likes the idea of the placards.
"I think the cards are a wonderful resource to assist officers who are interacting with people who are deaf," he said.
Rogers Police Chief Hayes Minor also said it's rare that his officers interact with deaf drivers. A deaf couple a few years ago communicated with officers by writing on a note pad, he said. The department has one officer who is certified in American Sign Language, Minor said.
Shawn Holloway, Benton County's sheriff-elect, said he believes the placards could help police. The Sheriff's Office has a detective who knows sign language, and he assists with communication when a deaf person is booked into the county jail, Holloway said.
Rodriguez plans to reach out to other Northwest Arkansas law enforcement agencies and eventually take her message across the state.
"We have a long way to go," she said. "It's exciting times, but it is just the beginning."
NW News on 01/03/2017