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Area police officers respond to needBy Lori O'Brien
Correspondent
With a desire to provide a "real need to police," two local college professors set out to create a handy field guide for law enforcement.
The culmination of four years work has resulted in the "Community Spanish for Law Enforcement Field Guide," just released by Jones and Bartlett Publishers. The authors are Pablo Paul Madera, Jr., of Ludlow, and Arthur Natella, Jr., of Westfield.
During interviews with Reminder Publications, both men explained that more than 30 million Americans speak Spanish, so they saw a need for a simple and concise reference guide that could be used by law enforcement professionals who may encounter situations where they will need to communicate with Spanish-speaking individuals.
The rugged and waterproof 270-page guide contains direct translations for the most common terms and phrases that enforcement officers may need on the street. Also, the guide presents the basics of Spanish grammar and pronunciation spoken in Latino American communities today, followed by hundreds of translations for the most common words, phrases, and questions law enforcement officers use in the field. A feature of the field guide is its portability to fit in an officer's pocket for quick access.
"The field guide will be an essential resource for police officers, assisting them in developing their Spanish language skills by introducing them to the tools and techniques of learning basic work-related Spanish," said Madera. "Being able to listen, understand, and speak Spanish will benefit both the officer and the Spanish-speaking community alike."
Madera is a graduate of the FBI National Academy, and is a 23-year veteran of the Ludlow Police Department. He is also an adjunct professor in the Sociology and Criminal Justice Department at Western New England College (WNEC) in Springfield. As an instructor, he has created courses in multicultural policing, the sociology of minority groups, and Spanish for law enforcement. He also consults with police agencies and public service providers to design and lead training sessions on topics ranging from policing in a multicultural setting to Spanish for public service providers and police management. He has a bachelor's degree in criminal justice from Westfield State College and a master's degree in criminal justice administration from WNEC.
Natella echoed Madera's sentiments, adding that law enforcement professionals needed a handy reference guide that addressed "Spanglish" which is used widely in Latino communities. Spanglish is Spanish that contains English words and phrases.
"Paul knew the dialogue and our backgrounds fit well on different levels," said Natella.
Natella is chair of the Foreign Language Department at American International College in Springfield, and is also an adjunct professor for the Criminal Justice Program at WNEC. He lectures across the country on the subjects of Spanish language and cultural sensitivity. He received his bachelor's degree from Columbia University and his Ph.D. from Syracuse University. He has also authored several books including "The Spanish in America," and "Business in Mexico," and has written articles, reviews and translations which have appeared in the United States, Europe and Latin America.
The field guide project was a collaborative effort on each chapter, with topics including "Tools and Techniques for Learning Community Spanish," "Homicide Investigation," "Sexual Assault," "Missing Persons," "Crimes Against Property and Robbery Investigation," "Assault Investigation," "Traffic Enforcement," and "Line (Subordinate Personnel) and Administrative Tasks." Appendix features include basic vocabulary, numbers, colors, units of time and seasons, physical attack terms and Miranda Rights. Lastly, a series of flashcards with basic phrases in English that includes Spanish translations provide a handy reference for law enforcement officers when time is of the essence.
Ultimately, both men agree that their hope is that the field guide provides another way to help law enforcement professionals communicate with Latinos in communities across the country.
For more information on the field guide which lists for $23.95, visit www.lawenforcement.jbpub.com.
Madera and Natella are available for seminars and can be reached through WNEC's main phone number, (413
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