WHEAT RIDGE, Colo. — A new program in Wheat Ridge is paying employees who can prove they're bilingual.
Some officers in the Wheat Ridge Police Department are already taking advantage of the program, getting a little extra money for a skill they're often called on to use on the job.
At the start of his shift, Wheat Ridge Police Officer Josh Gonzalez looks to see where he's needed.
"Just looking to see if I can help out initially, then I'll take the calls as they come in," Gonzalez said.
Along with patrolling the town, his duties often include translation.
"Oh yeah," Gonzalez said. "So, I might be on a call that's able to be put on hold because I'll hear on the radio, driver is Spanish speaking only. And then, they don't even have to ask, I'm like 'Hey I'm on my way.'"
In Arizona, Gonzalez grew up speaking Spanish. Now, he's called in constantly to help communicate with Spanish speakers on the clock.
His presence can often come as a relief for those who've witnessed or been victims of a crime.
"Their face lights up like 'Oh man, this guy actually speaks Spanish.' It adds a level of comfort to them and to myself as well because I know, if they're a little bit escalated, I can kind of deescalate the situation," Gonzalez said. "Like 'Hey man, I'm just here to help.'"
"So, I think it's absolutely critical if we want the best outcomes for our witnesses and our victims here in Wheat Ridge to be able to speak their same language," said Alex Rose, Wheat Ridge Police Department's public information officer. "Our job as police officers is to talk to folks, sometimes on the worst day of their lives, right? So it's incredibly important to be able to communicate with folks on a baseline level and establish that connection. We are all about building relationships here and if we can do that by speaking your language, that is going to give us better outcomes."
Rose said now, city workers with Wheat Ridge, including officers like Gonzalez, can get a little extra on their paycheck if they can show they're bilingual. Having bilingual employees ensures they can communicate with the entire community; especially as more and more Spanish speakers settle in the area.
Rose said he hopes the new program can help recruit more bilingual city workers and police officers to Wheat Ridge.
"We know that Wheat Ridge and frankly a lot of cities across the Denver metro area, the populations are changing. And for us as a police department, it just helps us get on the same level as the people that we are serving – whether that person is a witness, a victim of a crime or potentially a suspect. It just helps us do our jobs a lot more efficiently," Rose said.
"Having a person there to actually translate, that can actually say what they're trying to say helps out a lot. So there's a huge, huge need right now for officers that speak Spanish," Gonzalez said.
Gonzalez said he's proud to help bridge that gap between English and Spanish speakers in the community.
"It makes you feel you actually play a role here and you serve a slightly higher purpose," Gonzalez said.
So far, 10 city employees in Wheat Ridge have asked to take the test to show they're bilingual, according to Rose. 9 of those requests were for Spanish tests, one for Russian.
3 police officers have already tested and proven their bilingual skills, including Officer Gonzalez.
Depending on their skill level, Wheat Ridge will add an extra $100 to $150-a month added to their paychecks.
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