Workforce Language Services

The amazing cultural diversity in Toronto is cause for celebration, with more than a hundred languages being spoken in the city, but it also causes challenges for police when fighting crime.

But a recent article in an Ontario newspaper higlights some of the creative ways that Toronto police are attempting to bridge the divide between non-English speakers and their ability to access safety resources and navegate the justice system:

In recent cases, such as the shooting of innocent bystander Hou Chang Mao, Mills created an online video appeal in Mandarin, English and Cantonese. In a recent human trafficking ring investigation involving women from Eastern

Europe, lured to Canada then forced into the sex trade, Mills videotaped a Russian-speaking officer encouraging more victims to come forward that was posted on websites frequented by Russian Canadians.

He said technology is helping break down the walls of silence.

“I think it is really useful. It’s just going to take a little while to penetrate into getting to the right places in the community,” he said.

I’d love to see American police departments attempt innovative solutions to cultural and language barriers as the Toronto P.D. has.