Langauge cards help police close gap

The Katanning Police department is closing the language gap between the community's migrant groups and officers with new language cards that were launched on Monday.

In partnership with the WA Police community engagement division, the cards are offered in different languages, including Burundi, Malay, Pashto, Kirundi, Burmese and Dari, and supply residents with critical service information that will help them in an emergency.

In a first of its kind in Katanning, Sergeant Tristan Taylor instigated the program and said the most important thing in an emergency was the initial response.

"That first response stage is very important because officers can then put together emergency information and critical responses smoothly," he said

"It was put together as a tool that can hopefully be utilised throughout the State, not only on a local level."

With the growing concern that migrants were not aware of policing services or that the language barrier and fear of police were minimising police contact, WA Police community engagement officer Stephanie Celizic said there was a definite need for the cards in Katanning.

"We will see how it goes and from there it could be utilised by other regions, but it will be done on a needs by needs basis," she said.

The cards are now available from the Katanning Police Station and partnering health providers in town.