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When I was deaf (my hearing loss was reversible), I was almost shot to death by a cop. I was holding my blind cane under my arm, folded-up, and a cop mistook it for a gun. He told me to drop the weapon but obviously I didn't hear him. Luckily my friend, who had left momentarily, turned around just in time to inform the cop that I was deaf and blind. He then yanked my cane out from under my arm and showed the cop what it really was.
I think that cops need to have better training on how to work with people who are deaf, blind, otherwise disabled, or any combination thereof. In my case, I know it was an honest mistake on the cop's part, but I think the fact that he wasn't trained to make sure I wasn't deaf isn't excusable. Many deaf people get shot by cops who assume that they are being ignored, and don't bother to check whether the person can even hear them. It's also important to remember that deaf people often use gestures and facial expression differently from hearing people because facial expression is a linguistic feature of American Sign Language (ASL). For example, raised eyebrows in the greater hearing culture can be used threateningly, but are just used to form a question in ASL. A frown can also be part of a deaf person's way to ask a question, which by a hearing cop, might be interpreted as a "warning sign" that the person is planning to resist.
Cops also need to remember that any deaf person has the right to full communication under ADA law. Whether that means an ASL interpreter, written communication, or some other communication method, will depend on the person. However, a deaf person reserves the right to wait until full communication access is in place before attempting any communication with a cop.
A deaf person also reserves the right not to have their hands handcuffed behind their back if they use ASL or any form of gestural communication as their primary means to communicate.
It's obvious that this incident was the result of miscommunication between the deaf client and the police officers, more specifically as a result of misinterpreting body language. I think that more officers need training on how to communicate with deaf people and even learning to finger spell could go a long way. I don't want to come across as knocking all cops, so let me finish by saying that when I was deaf, many of the cops in my area did learn how to finger spell into my hand for communication, and it was very useful at times when I got lost and they offered to help reorient me. In a few cases, they even offered to drive me to where I needed to go. Cops can be a wonderful help to people if they are just willing to put in a little time and training into how to establish visual or tactile communication. Even if it is not part of the official training, an hour on YouTube learning to finger spell or learning a few basic signs could literally save many people's lives.
ETA: I just realized, one of the ASL signs for "hold on" or "I'm waiting" (not sarcastic, but just like waiting for whatever's next) is quite literally... a clenched fist in the air. I wonder if she was signing "hold on" (maybe for an ASL interpreter or something) and the cop took that to mean a clenched fist in anger.
Last edited by nimchimpsky; 08-07-2012 at 06:45 AM..
Years ago (in 1990's), when Russia was a land of liberalism and anarcho-capitalism, I was outside my apartment at night, listening to my walkman, with my hands in my jacket's pockets... when a cop suddenly appeared, with a flashlight in one hand, and a gun in another.
I stopped the music... he was screaming: "take your hands out of the pockets"...
A few seconds later he explained, that they were called in by some old lady, who probably dreamed about a crime happening outdoors, and saw me, in the dark, with my hands in my pockets, not following their orders... He said: "you xxx, I could have shot you".
There is no way he'd do this. Actually, he was shaking from even thinking about this.
If that happened today, when Russia is once again a civilized place, with cops serving people, not raping them, he would beg me for mercy - because, if I reported him scaring me with a gun, he'd be in trouble.
For some reason America in this regard is infinitely worse than Russia in some of its worst days. Why don't you pay any real attention to this problem?
Years ago (in 1990's), when Russia was a land of liberalism and anarcho-capitalism, I was outside my apartment at night, listening to my walkman, with my hands in my jacket's pockets... when a cop suddenly appeared, with a flashlight in one hand, and a gun in another.
I stopped the music... he was screaming: "take your hands out of the pockets"...
A few seconds later he explained, that they were called in by some old lady, who probably dreamed about a crime happening outdoors, and saw me, in the dark, with my hands in my pockets, not following their orders... He said: "you xxx, I could have shot you".
There is no way he'd do this. Actually, he was shaking from even thinking about this.
If that happened today, when Russia is once again a civilized place, with cops serving people, not raping them, he would beg me for mercy - because, if I reported him scaring me with a gun, he'd be in trouble.
For some reason America in this regard is infinitely worse than Russia in some of its worst days. Why don't you pay any real attention to this problem?
Well, in the U.S. we have this problem of cop worship (it also ties in with military worship) and that cops can never do any wrong. We also have a lot of people on this forum who condemn many people featured in crime stories to death or life in prison without knowing all the facts (think Casey Anthony) but excuse any bad cop by saying "wait until all the facts are out". Well, nobody waits for the facts when it's a normal person and already jump to conclusions. Just because they are cops doesn't mean they are God's gift to mankind. Too many people think having a badge on your uniform means you aren't capable of lying or doing wrong. Nobody asks questions, and asking questions is fundamental. It is not "cop bashing".
One of the first questions we need to ask of any cop that engages in this behavior, are they ex military? I have a feeling there would be a high correlation between military service and police power abuse
Last edited by theunbrainwashed; 08-07-2012 at 07:25 AM..
1) 911 Operator knew she was deaf because it was a relay call and hey were apparently trying to tell the cops that.
2) Even after busting in the cops should have done their job on the spot to determine who she was and why she didn't answer the door. It's not too difficult to figure out if someone is deaf.
3) How the f**k is she left there for 3 days while witnesses, 911 operators and friends are calling, showing up and texting that she is deaf?
This is ridiculous. Poor woman now probably feels like she can't trust anyone.
1) 911 Operator knew she was deaf because it was a relay call and hey were apparently trying to tell the cops that.
2) Even after busting in the cops should have done their job on the spot to determine who she was and why she didn't answer the door. It's not too difficult to figure out if someone is deaf.
3) How the f**k is she left there for 3 days while witnesses, 911 operators and friends are calling, showing up and texting that she is deaf?
This is ridiculous. Poor woman now probably feels like she can't trust anyone.
Well, in the U.S. we have this problem of cop worship (it also ties in with military worship) and that cops can never do any wrong.
That sounds like Soviet Union... where cops were pretty nice - absolutely unlike American today.
Quote:
I have a feeling there would be a high correlation between military service and police power abuse
That's true for Russia. Only not military service, but fighting at the hotspots - like Afganistan and Chechnya.
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