Commonly Asked Questions About the Americans with Disabilities Act and Law Enforcement

16. Q: What is a TDD and does every police station have to have one?

A: A telecommunications device for the deaf (TDD) is a device used by individuals with hearing or speech disabilities to communicate on the telephone. A TDD is a keyboard with a display for receiving typed text that can be attached to a telephone. The TDD user types a message that is received by another TDD at the other end of the line.

• Arrestees who are deaf or hard of hearing, or who have speech disabilities, may require a TDD for making outgoing calls. TDD's must be available to inmates with disabilities under the same terms and conditions as telephone privileges are offered to all inmates, and information indicating the availability of the TDD should be provided.

• TDDs typically cost $200-300 each and can be used with a standard telephone. It is unlikely that the cost of purchasing a TDD will be prohibitive. Still, a small department with limited resources could arrange to share a TDD with a local courthouse or other entity, so long as the TDD is immediately available as needed.