Nearly two dozen teammates from across our agency completed a 10-week course at the University of St. Thomas to learn the basic concepts of the Mandarin language. The specialized training program designed for law enforcement personnel improves communication and public safety by providing those on the front lines of protecting our community with language and cultural training, which helps them better connect with the diverse communities they serve.
As part of the course, participants learned common phrases peace officers are most likely to use when interacting with Mandarin Chinese-speaking residents. They also visited local businesses and restaurants in Asiatown to practice the language lessons beyond the classroom.
The curriculum included recognizing common words and tones used during police encounters, such as traffic stops, calls for service, medical emergencies, and other situations.
Throughout the course, students wrote down phrases in practice activities. They said them out loud, individually and as a group. Their knowledge was evaluated through scenarios, oral reviews, and question and answer reviews.
It’s more about the simple interactions, not necessarily reaching a great level of fluency. A simple, “Hello, I’m a deputy with the Harris County Sheriff’s Office,” can go a long way. The class included patrol deputies, criminal investigators, detention officers, communications officers, bailiffs, and other team members.
“Language is a big part of a community’s culture,” said Major Tony Huynh, who oversees our Professional Development and Standards Bureau.
Major Huynh, who took the course, said, “This is the first time our team members participated in this specialized program for law enforcement.
We are now able to use key terminologies and basic phrases while understanding culture differences to connect with the community we serve.
It is amazing how a simple ‘Good morning,’ ‘How are you,’ and ‘Thank you’ in the native language of a resident can break down barriers and open hearts and minds.
“Language is a big part of a community’s culture,” said Major Tony Huynh, who oversees our Professional Development and Standards Bureau.
We want to extend our sincere gratitude to the University of St. Thomas and the Taipei Economic and Culture Office in Houston for bringing this training opportunity to our agency.”
As public servants, our actions must be driven by our training and love for our community. This opportunity builds on our philosophy of community-oriented policing and reinforces the vital role that our residents and partners play in ensuring public safety. Communicating and building trust with those we serve are key to our jobs.
This is an extra step toward more effective community policing.