By Sarina Trangle
Police emphasized the NYPD’s indifference to immigration status and willingness to translate conversations for those reporting domestic violence at a recent forum hosted by the 102nd and 106th precincts.
Although the NYPD prioritizes quickly translating such complaints, police said there is no formal time limit by which statements and depositions must be put in English.
“Our biggest work in progress right now is to make sure that those second pages that are written in second languages are translated,” said Diana Silverstein, the domestic violence sergeant for the 102nd Precinct. “There is no set amount of time.”
The NYPD has recently fielded questions about its translation procedures because it was named in a federal lawsuit claiming language barriers routinely prevent police from helping abuse victims. Relatives of a Guatemalan woman killed by her husband in the 103rd Precinct alleged last week that her reports to police were left in Spanish and not translated before she died, according to the New York Post.
The 102nd and 106th precincts scheduled a meeting on domestic violence at the Fairfield Pavilion, in Richmond Hill Feb. 20 after noticing a spate of such crimes in their commands, which span the area from Kew Gardens to Howard Beach.
Deputy Inspector Jeffrey Schiff, who leads the 106th Precinct, said felony domestic incidents are up 53 percent in his command and by large margins in the 102nd Precinct.
“We’re trying to get that message out here to understand, break down some cultural divides and some misnomers,” said Deputy Inspector Henry Sautner, who commands the 106th Precinct. “Hopefully, with keeping families together and providing that education and information, we’ll see a decrease in such instances.”
The evening began with explanations of what constitutes domestic violence — a pattern of abusive behavior between family members or intimate partners where one person uses physical, sexual, financial or emotional abuse to leverage power over another.
Silverstein said police strive to get an officer on scene who speaks the same language as victims. If that is not possible, police attempt to bring them to the precinct, where someone on the other end of a central telephone system can facilitate conversation.
Should it come to a deposition written in the victim’s native tongue, Silverstein said police can scan the statement and use computer software to translate it.
Police stressed that officers do not wait for translations to begin investigating crimes.
An officer immediately attempts to establish who started the physical contact. Police said authorities may arrest everyone involved if they cannot establish a primary physical aggressor.
All domestic violence reports are logged in a central database to ensure that precincts are notified about incidents involving people who live in their commands.
Silverstein said domestic violence officers monitor such reports daily and then check on victims to offer them resources and safety advice.
Many such families are directed to the Queens Family Justice Center, a city-run facility offering free, confidential case management at 126-02 82nd Ave. The center provides help applying for public assistance, moving to shelters, fighting for child support and finding a career.
Alexandra Patino, the center’s executive director, said about 59 percent of its clients are foreign-born. She said victims should not hesitate to report incidents if they are undocumented. Victims who work with the district attorney’s office may qualify for U visas, which Patino said authorize victims to work in the country and then apply for a Green Card after three years.
“We get a lot of phone calls from people who are afraid that they’re going to be deported because that’s one of those tools that an abuser will use,” she said. “We really don’t want that.”
Reach reporter Sarina Trangle at 718-260-4546 or by e-mail at strangle@cnglocal.com.
