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Meg Hawkins

When: Zoom on Thursday evening, November 16 at 7 PM

Who: Officer Meg Hawkins

What: For many people, engaging with a member of the police department can be a stressful experience,
particularly if it is an unplanned encounter, such as being stopped while driving or after a traffic
accident. People may be uncomfortable because they do not understand police procedures and are
uncertain about what is going to happen. This can be further complicated for those who are deaf or
hard of hearing because of communication challenges which make information exchange more difficult.
Fairfax County Police Officers (like most of the police in the greater DC area) regularly engage with a
very wide variety of people – those who speak languages from all over the world; those with a broad
array of mental, emotional, and physical challenges; and sometimes those with both language and other
challenges.


In this presentation, PFC Megan Hawkins will discuss the basic training Fairfax County Police Officers
receive regarding engaging with people when communication issues may be a challenge. She will discuss
standard police procedures for traffic stops and accidents, including recommendations for those who
are deaf or hard of hearing. Better understanding of police procedures and expectations can help make
such interactions less uncomfortable.


Additionally, we hope the community can offer suggestions that might help the police department
better understand how to best communicate with people who have hearing challenges.
We plan to leave plenty of time for Q&A. Please join us for this important discussion.

Flyer PDF

Bio: Officer Meg Hawkins is a 20-year veteran in law enforcement with Fairfax County. While the majority of her career has been dedicated to patrol duties, Meg has also assumed roles in public affairs and crime prevention. However, her true calling lies in community outreach and engagement, a passion she fervently pursues in her current capacity as the Community Outreach Officer for the Sully District Station.

Meg holds the title of a Certified Crime Prevention Specialist, accredited by the Virginia Department of Criminal Justice Services, and she is also a Certified Law Enforcement Crime Prevention through Environmental Design Practitioner (LE-CPTED).

Meg's expertise extends to her role as the agency's lead instructor for the "Hidden in Plain Sight (HIPS)" program. This interactive initiative aims to educate adults on recognizing signs of risky behavior in teens and young adults.

Her dedication to community outreach has not gone unnoticed. In 2022, Meg received three "Faithful Servants" awards from the Communities of Trust Committee, honoring her exceptional commitment and hard work in serving the community.

Beyond her professional accomplishments, Meg is happily married to a retired combat veteran who currently serves as a firefighter in Fairfax County.

 

Federal law requires that law enforcement agencies must provide the communication aids and services needed to communicate effectively with people who are deaf

PoliceOne.com
Nov. 8, 2016
by  Doug Wyllie, PoliceOne Editor at Large

According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, almost one in 10 people in the U.S. could benefit from hearing aids. About two percent of adults aged 45 to 54 have disabling hearing loss. The rate increases to 8.5 percent for adults aged 55 to 64, to 25 percent of those aged 65 to 74, and 50 percent of those who are 75 and older.

Police interactions with deaf subjects are fraught with the possibility that one side or the other — and possibly both — misunderstanding the person in front of them. It is uncommon for law enforcement officers to know American Sign Language, and there is woefully little instruction done in our schools about how individuals — deaf or otherwise — should respond to the lawful commands of police officers.

Read more . . . Police

 

 

Washington Post - Local

October 11

WASHINGTON — Police departments across the country have recently put extra emphasis on their community policing efforts, working to improve relations with the black community and other minority groups.

In the same way, in Washington, a special Metropolitan Police Department unit has been working for more than a decade to build trust with another local community.

The Metropolitan Police Department’s Deaf and Hard of Hearing Liaison Unit is the only such unit in the country. The unit’s two officers — Myra Jordan and Tayna Ellis — both learned sign language outside MPD.

“We are on call 24 hours, seven days a week,” said Ellis.

“And it’s not work to us because it’s something we truly, truly enjoy doing,” Jordan said.

Jordan helped create the unit nearly 15 years ago. Since then, it’s become a major resource for the local deaf community.

Last year alone, the unit responded to more than 300 calls for service.

Shayninna McCoy, a specialist with the local advocacy group Deaf Reach, said, “The deaf community feels confident that their communication will be understood by the police.”

The Washington region is said to be home to the highest concentration of deaf people in the world. Many attend Gallaudet University then stay here for their careers.

Read more  . . . Deaf and Hard of Hearing Liaison Unit 

Read More  . . . MPDC Related Links:

Deaf & Hard Of Hearing Liaison Unit
http://mpdc.dc.gov/page/deaf-and-hard-hearing-liaison-unit

Meet Officers Ellis and Jordan MPDS
http://mpdc.dc.gov/release/meet-officers-ellis-and-jordan-mpds-deaf-and-hard-hearing-liaison-unit

Communication Rights Deaf or Hard of Hearing
http://mpdc.dc.gov/page/communication-rights-deaf-or-hard-hearing

PDF Brochure Download - http://mpdc.dc.gov/sites/default/files/dc/sites/mpdc/publication/attachments/DHHU%20Brochure%202014.pdf

NBC4 TV coverage Oct. 7th
NBC 4 Story & un-captioned Video

 

 

 

Mich_Police_cards
The communication card is designed to be stored on a sun visor, in a bag or backpack, or on a passenger seat for easy use. To download the card, visit www.michigan.gov/doddbhh. (Image provided by the Michigan Department of Civil Rights)

C&G Newspapers - METRO DETROIT
Posted June 22, 2016

METRO DETROIT — The Michigan Department of Civil Rights has released a new communication tool that will ease communication between law enforcement and individuals who are deaf or have partial hearing loss.

Supported by statewide law enforcement organizations — including the Michigan State Police, the Michigan Sheriffs’ Association and the Michigan Association of Chiefs of Police — the communication card is designed to be stored on a sun visor, in a bag or backpack, or on a passenger seat for easy use.

One side of the card notifies law enforcement that the person is either deaf or has partial hearing loss. It offers quick tips to facilitate communication, including, but not limited to, “Get my attention first,” “Make eye contact when you speak,” and “I cannot lip-read everything you say.”

Read more . . . Cards

 

 

 

 

The Rhode Island branch of the American Civil Liberties Union, along with the Rhode Island Disability Law Center, has filed a federal lawsuit against the Woonsocket Police Department for the arrest of a deaf man.

They claim 25-year-old David Alves of North Smithfield was apprehended and detained for making an obscene sign language gesture.

On July 8 of last year, Alves, who is deaf, was at the City Side Club in Woonsocket with friends, including some who are also deaf or hard of hearing. He had just returned home from summer break at Gallaudet University in Washington, D.C.

Read more  . . . arrested  . . . See Captioned Video