ADA25: #14 of 25 -- Police (02:24)

When approached by a police officer, NAD Attorney Caroline Jackson explains what you can do that is a result of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). View the entire #ADA25 series at www.nad.org/ADA25.

Video begins with an off white vintage background. Three black and white photos appear. First photo shows a group of people marching, one holds a NAD poster. Second photo shows another group of people marching, one holds a poster "We Shall Overcome." Third photo shows President Bush signing the Americans with Disabilities Act. Text appears "ADA25 -- Americans with Disabilities Act". Video flashes to white then to Caroline Jackson inside NAD Headquarters. On bottom left corner, "#ADA25" appears as a light watermark. On bottom right corner, the NAD logo appears, also as a light watermark. 

CAROLINE: Today, we will talk about ADA rights and the police. Even though they are required to follow the ADA, the police present a particularly sticky situation for the ADA. Not everything they do requires interpreters. For example, if the police pull you over for a speeding ticket, they don’t have to have an interpreter with them in the car or wait for one to arrive. It’s ok for them to write back and forth or gesture. Keep in mind, though, that the police have no idea that they’ve just pulled over a deaf person. It’s important that you move very slowly. If you reach into your car for a pen and paper, they might think you’re reaching for a gun! Move slowly, gesture pen and paper, then move slowly some more. Other times, however, the police a required to provide an interpreter, such as during interrogations. One example of a police case comes from Minnesota. In Minnesota, the police arrested a deaf man. When they took him to the station for questioning, they started by writing back and forth. He requested an interpreter. The officer said ok and stopped the interview, but never provided an interpreter! A judge decided that that was discrimination. If he had been hearing, they would have interviewed him, but because he’s deaf, they did not. The ADA also prohibits police from arresting a deaf or hard of hearing person just because they are deaf. For example, a deaf man in Texas was pulled over for a DUI. The police began to perform a field sobriety test. He told the police that he was deaf and couldn't understand them. But they insisted on speaking with him and accused him of not following directions. That is discrimination. Why? Because he clearly told the officers he couldn't understand them, and the police arrested him because he couldn't understand.

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