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SQ Attorneys[/caption]
In February of this year it was divulged that the King County Sheriff’s Office has plans to develop and implement a language access program. This announcement was made after a complaint was filed with the Department of Justice and United States Attorney’s Office against the King County Sheriff’s Office and Burien Police Department, alleging discrimination against an individual with limited English proficiency.
The program will include a language access policy; procedures; a data collection and reporting process; development of language access resources; community outreach; training to ensure consistent and effective delivery of language assistance; and a complaint process. The program includes the appointment of a “Language Access Program Manager” by May 7, 2024, in addition to “worksite Language Access Program coordinators.” The program manager will serve as a resource and coordinator for the sheriff’s office and develop the initial plan to implement and coordinate services for individuals with limited English proficiency. The program manager will also evaluate the language needs of the sheriff’s office on an annual basis and track demographic trends in service areas and arrange language access training.
The King County Sheriff’s Office will implement things in phases over the span of two years, with the Department of Justice to monitor progress through status reports and meetings. King County is quite diverse. Such a program will be good for the community and will likely help resolve language barrier issues in and around the county.
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