Regarding the complaint filed by a grandfather of a 23-year-old deaf male alleging the (Bradford) City Police Officers used excessive force; I wanted to mention a few things. Before I get to it, I wanted to share that I grew up in the area until I was 23 years old and I am profoundly deaf in both ears. It was an unfortunate situation that transpired on April 1st, 2015 between the deaf male and the police officers. The only people that truly know what occurred that night is the parties involved and we shouldn’t jump into any conclusions. 

However, I wanted to state that there has been several incidents throughout the nation between police officers and the deaf (and hard of hearing) individuals (Hawthorne, Springfield, and Tacoma are some cities that had similar instances). The main reason could be the communication barrier that arises between the deaf and the hearing. Deaf individuals rely on sign language, body language, visual cues and gestures, and some lip-reading (an average person understands between 20 to 30 percent via lip-reading so it is considered ineffective). Written notes can be effective if the deaf person has sufficient understanding of the English language. Please keep in mind that American Sign Language is a language of its own with its own syntax. When it comes to deaf and hard-of-hearing individuals, there are no “one size fits all.” People with hearing loss have different preferences on how they can communicate effectively with the public. 

While Bradford is generally a small town, there are a handful of deaf individuals living in the area (it is estimated that about 12 percent of general population lives with hearing loss and 1-2 percent of that number are deaf and know [uses] American Sign Language). As a deaf individual who continues to visit family and friends in the area, I would like to see the community taking this situation as an opportunity to develop some understanding of working/interacting with individuals who are deaf or hard of hearing. Communication will always be a challenge no matter where we go and who we interact with, but with some flexibility and patience from you, communication can be effective for both parties. 

Again, the only people that know what transpired the night of April 1st are the deaf individual and the two City Police Officers. It was dark outside and it may have impacted the ability to effectively communicate with each other (Just because an individual has hearing aids or a cochlear implant does not mean they will understand every single word a person says). I have often encountered several instances where communication was challenging with the hearing individual and we became naturally frustrated with each other. I acknowledge that the police have a difficult job each day and I sincerely respect the work they do (I couldn’t do it myself). The police’s priority is always safety and cooperation while individuals with hearing loss (deafness and hard of hearing) focus on acquiring and sharing information effectively (communication). I believe that providing and receiving education to the community, to the deaf and hard-of-hearing individuals, public and private entities can be the key to reduce misunderstandings, misconceptions, miscommunication, and problems that may lead to unnecessary action (response). I also hope the family and the City Police department find resolution over this unfortunate circumstance. I also hope the public and private providers can work with community members who have disabilities (especially with hearing loss and deafness) to enhance understanding on how they can work together to avoid unnecessary circumstances from taking place in this great town.