The law imposes the obligation to provide a deaf person with a sign language translator on the civil service. However, it is not possible in case of urgent police actions such as a road accident or a night intervention connected with family violence. Low level of legal awareness, lack of knowledge and skills to use aid from institutions associated with the administration of justice in the broad sense makes the deaf frequent victims of offences.
The goal of the project was to improve the system providing service for the deaf people through training the police officers and through promoting the knowledge about the police activities and the possibility to acquire help by the victims in the circle of deaf people.
84 police officers from 22 West Pomeranian field units have learned basics sign language and the rules of communication and conduct with deaf persons, which will enable them to assure proper help for the victims with this specific disability. A guide-book (1,050 items) with information on specificity of deafness and rules of communication with deaf persons for the field units has been published and a professional sign language dictionary has been worked out.
Accomplishments: 7 editions of workshops (45 hours each) on communication in sign language for police officers (participants: 84 police officers and 35 persons with hearing imparity), 10 two-hours meetings for the deaf to make them familiar with the police activities and possibilities of obtaining help by victims (in Szczecin, Koszalin and Wałcz, in total 127 participants). A guide-book on deafness and rules of communication with deaf persons has been published, a multimedia sign language with 400 basic signs from the sign language and specialist vocabulary (topic: law and police) has been worked out and published on the sites of the Organization and the Police Office. The art competitions for children, youth and adults with impaired hearing “Police Officer is my Friend” and “When You Need Help from the Police” and exhibitions after the competitions have been organized; an integration event (about 450 participants) and city game (41 participants) for citizens of Szczecin (education regarding the needs people with impaired hearing) were organized.
84 police officers and 127 persons with impaired hearing from West Pomeranian Voivodeship took part in the activities. Police officers and deaf people from all Poland can use the worked out materials.
The Partner recruited police officers, organized meetings for deaf people and engaged in promotional activities.