The use of english in law-enforcement agencies

According to John Rawls’s theory: “Justice is the first virtue of social institutions, as truth is of systems of thought.” As a police officer, either commissioned or non-commissioned, one has to serve and protect people by fulfilling the act of justice. So, while national police are fighting crime and handling emergencies, they come across many foreigners. Some may commit crimes, while others may be the victims. In both cases, police need to ask and answer questions in English, or interview English-speaking witnesses. Time can be a key factor in solving a crime or saving a life, so policemen cannot always wait for an interpreter. Thus, the vital importance of good communication skills, also mentioned in the European Code of Police Ethics, has significantly influenced today’s police work, not only for euro-zone countries, but for the entire International Community.

I. INTRODUCTION

Modern English, sometimes described as the first global “lingua franca” (world language), is the dominant international language in communications, science, business, aviation, entertainment, radio and diplomacy. Knowledge of English has become a requirement in a number of fields, occupations and professions; as a consequence over a billion people speak English to at least a basic level.

Some linguists believe that it is no longer the exclusive cultural sign of "native English speakers", but it is rather a language that is absorbing cultural aspects worldwide, as it continues to grow, a “melting pot” of cultures under the auspices of social standardization. It is, by international treaty, the official language for aerial and maritime communications. English is an official language of the United Nations, Interpol and many other international organizations. It is by far the most spoken foreign language in the European Union at over half (51%) of the population of the member states.

In today’s law-enforcement activity, English has become a key-component, in both police-citizens relationship as well as in international police cooperation. The main purposes of the police in a democratic society governed by the rule of law are: to maintain public safety, law and order in society; to protect and respect the individual’s fundamental rights and freedoms as enshrined, in particular, in the European Convention of Human Rights; to prevent and combat crime; to detect crime; to provide assistance and service functions to the public.

Police attributions include protecting life and property, enforcing criminal law, conducting criminal investigations, regulating traffic, crowd control, and other public safety duties. Intergovernmental cooperation is the base for the third pillar of the European Union: Police and Judicial Co-operation in Criminal Matters (PJC), formerly Justice and Home Affairs (JHA); therefore, these police attributions have been perfected and extended to outside the national borders of the EU member countries, assisting the serving Police Officers and Police Department personnel to engage with counterparts and counterpart institutions abroad.

II. USES OF ENGLISH

As the European Code of Police Ethic states: “Police personnel shall be able to demonstrate sound judgment, an open attitude, maturity, fairness, communication skills and, where appropriate, leadership and management skills. Moreover, they shall possess a good understanding of social, cultural and community issues.”, therefore situations in which English is needed are frequent.

Police Officers and Police Department personnel are likely to have to get in contact with foreign visitors, participate in social events and maintain relationships with contacts using English, make and respond to queries for specific information and help, negotiate on a variety of issues, explain complex procedures and legal requirements.

An example for these cases is relevant - the “Olympic Security English” was a self-described book for police officers and volunteers. It was designed for the people who were directly or indirectly involved in security and service work at the 2008 Beijing Olympics. It was edited by a committee of senior public officers in China, including the Vice Minister of the Public Security Bureau. Much of the book consisted of useful drills for various situations in which officers may have needed to speak English (giving directions, greetings, or answering public enquiries).

Police Officers and Police Department personnel are also likely to communicate by telephone, fax, e-mail and formal letters on a routine basis; answer to emergency police calls; attend and actively participate in specialized conferences; attend and actively participate in training session abroad or in their own country given by international agencies; give and support their opinions and express their personal and professional attitude towards issues of interest.

On July 1, 2005, Jiangsu, a province in east China, launched the new English emergency police call service, “110”, in three of its major cities, Nanjing, Wuxi and Suzhou. The decision came in order to provide better service for ever-increasing population of foreign investors and tourists in the cities. The emergency police number rang for the first time in the early hours of July 1, when two Iranian sailors dialed “110” to report a dispute over the price of the wine they drank with a Chinese teahouse owner. The officer stationed at the 110 switchboard answered the call in English, local police arrived at the scene within four minutes, and the problem was solved.

On February 16, 2009 the Sharjah Police Force, in the United Arab Emirates, issued a media report showing that it will begin offering English classes to their officers. The decision came after it was found that some policemen find it difficult to understand many of the nationalities that live in the emirate. Local media report also shows that future trainees will be required to speak and write the language before becoming an officer. Experts say it is important because many Emergency calls are in English.

Another use of English in police work is the international media, press agencies (United Press International, Reuters, CNN), through which police personnel are now kept better informed about important daily events throughout the world such as natural disasters, political and economic developments, but most of all about main police activities in different specialist areas around the world.

III. COOPERATION THROUGH ENGLISH

The mixing of population in some countries and different cultural influences require good communication, meaning also linguistic, rhetoric abilities of those who maintain or should restore peace and order, therefore working in the conflict sphere.