DPS: Minimum 300 Signs
Post below is a Gallaudet job ad for a security officer position:
Minimal Requirements: “Sign language skills or the successful completion of at least two progressive course in sign language in the first year of employment and the ability to sign and read 300 law enforcement and related signs”
300 signs? Systematic misconduct by DPS was reported the last few months. Students were roughly treated by DPS during the HMB Aborted Raid, with visual documentation of DPS’s failure to use sign language. Brentwood Gate Ambush occurred, with few students requiring medical treatment. BoT’s legal investigative team produced a report denouncing the lack of competency in sign language by DPS. Two weeks ago, one student was attacked by DPS after he objected to one DPS’s threatening use of metal baton toward students instead of communicating with them in sign language. To this day, many students continue feeling unsafe with DPS.
And yet after these complaints of severe communication problems and chronic misconduct were already reported, the minimum number of signs required for a newly hired DPS after one year is still 300 signs. Is this acceptable for a guard hired to ensure the safety of deaf students in an university for the deaf? I would like to hear see your opinion since it seems awfully low to me.Â
If you have some concerns about the current language requirement and feel that the language requirements should be raised, please share them with Gallaudet at greatideas@gallaudet.edu MZ
.
position opening
Public Safety Guard # 07011
Gallaudet University
Washington, DC
Maintain the safety and security of Gallaudet University campus
community and property. Requires: AA degree and experience in
public service or public safety; or HSÂ diploma or GED and one
year related experience.
Formal training in law enforcement, safety and security (on-the-job
training may be considered). Must satisfactorily pass background
investigation, physical exam and drug screening for employment.
The ability to obtain DC metropolitan security guard license within
the first month of employment. Valid driver’s license. Must be able
to be contacted by telephone and/or email.
Willingness to work varying days and shifts as well as holidays and
weekends. Excellent reference. In accordance with University policy
and laws of the District of Columbia and or licensing bodies,
employees in positions involving public safety may be periodically
tested for use of illicit drugs.
Sign language skills or the successful completion of at least two
progressive course in sign language in the first year of employment
and the ability to sign and read 300 law enforcement and related
signs.
Excellent benefits.
To apply email cover letter and resume to:
mailto: personnel.office@gallaudet.edu
mail to:
Gallaudet University,
Human Resources Services,
800 Florida Avenue, NE,
College Hall,
Washington, DC 20002;
fax to 202-651-5344
email contact: mishkazena@aol.com
Copyright Mishkazena (TM) 2007
Post below is a Gallaudet job ad for a security officer position:
Minimal Requirements: “Sign language skills or the successful completion of at least two progressive course in sign language in the first year of employment and the ability to sign and read 300 law enforcement and related signs”
300 signs? Systematic misconduct by DPS was reported the last few months. Students were roughly treated by DPS during the HMB Aborted Raid, with visual documentation of DPS’s failure to use sign language. Brentwood Gate Ambush occurred, with few students requiring medical treatment. BoT’s legal investigative team produced a report denouncing the lack of competency in sign language by DPS. Two weeks ago, one student was attacked by DPS after he objected to one DPS’s threatening use of metal baton toward students instead of communicating with them in sign language. To this day, many students continue feeling unsafe with DPS.
And yet after these complaints of severe communication problems and chronic misconduct were already reported, the minimum number of signs required for a newly hired DPS after one year is still 300 signs. Is this acceptable for a guard hired to ensure the safety of deaf students in an university for the deaf? I would like to hear see your opinion since it seems awfully low to me.Â
If you have some concerns about the current language requirement and feel that the language requirements should be raised, please share them with Gallaudet at greatideas@gallaudet.edu MZ
.
position opening
Public Safety Guard # 07011
Gallaudet University
Washington, DC
Maintain the safety and security of Gallaudet University campus
community and property. Requires: AA degree and experience in
public service or public safety; or HSÂ diploma or GED and one
year related experience.
Formal training in law enforcement, safety and security (on-the-job
training may be considered). Must satisfactorily pass background
investigation, physical exam and drug screening for employment.
The ability to obtain DC metropolitan security guard license within
the first month of employment. Valid driver’s license. Must be able
to be contacted by telephone and/or email.
Willingness to work varying days and shifts as well as holidays and
weekends. Excellent reference. In accordance with University policy
and laws of the District of Columbia and or licensing bodies,
employees in positions involving public safety may be periodically
tested for use of illicit drugs.
Sign language skills or the successful completion of at least two
progressive course in sign language in the first year of employment
and the ability to sign and read 300 law enforcement and related
signs.
Excellent benefits.
To apply email cover letter and resume to:
mailto: personnel.office@gallaudet.edu
mail to:
Gallaudet University,
Human Resources Services,
800 Florida Avenue, NE,
College Hall,
Washington, DC 20002;
fax to 202-651-5344
email contact: mishkazena@aol.com
Copyright Mishkazena (TM) 2007
March 20th, 2007 at 11:32 am
I am a hearing ASL student reading your blog since start of the semester. It’s incredible to see the minimal knowledge of 300 signs. I’ve always had the impression Gallaudet is very progressive, emphasizing full accessibility of communication. I see no justification for this unreasonably low requirement.
March 20th, 2007 at 12:28 pm
I’m not surprised about DPS not knowing sign langauge. I was student at Gallaudet in 1976 and even today the DPS don’t know sign language.
Gallaudet should make it mandantory that DPS take one year of Deaf Culture training and one year of ASL class and must be able to sign. It is not necessary to be fluent but able to sign to be understandable to deaf and hard of hearing students.
DPS do not understand deaf culture and their ways which resulted alot of injuries and assaults to students over small miscommunication. I was injuired slightly when DPS rough handled me due to miscommunication in 1977.
Why can’t Human Resource and Davila adminstration do something to make it mandantory for DPS to communicate in sign language? 300 words is not enough, don’t forget some dialects involved from different states/countries. For example: “Ticket” there are 2 or 3 different signs for that word “Ticket” which can cause miscommunication and dangerous to students and DPS.
March 20th, 2007 at 12:29 pm
it should be clarified to meant 300 “law enforcement” and related signs.
one could be very fluent in ASL but knows nada about law enforcement signs!
This is a very new territory for any deaf to venture into.
I know of one armed security guard who is deaf himself.
March 20th, 2007 at 1:01 pm
“ability to sign and read 300 law enforcement and related
signs.” What a JOKE!!
Imagine a Deaf person stopped by a DPS officer. Officer “signs” - SHOW ME ID. Deaf person responds, “I left my ID in the dorm, but I can phone on TTY and have someone bring it here.” DPS “signs” SHOW ME NOW! Deaf person signs, “I can’t — I don’t have it with me.”
By this time Deaf person is agitated, frightened, afraid of consequences.. (Do I need an interpreter? Should I shut up and use Fifth Ammendment?).. DPS can’t understand any agitated, nervous signing — PUT YOUR HANDS BEHIND YOUR BACK!
Handcuffs are applied, and all communication stops!
300 signs??? How about “Able to UNDERSTAND 3000 signs from a frightened Deaf person”???
March 20th, 2007 at 8:54 pm
It is a joke .. I had never felt comfortable and secure when I had lived on Gallaudet campus after the ugly incident with a guy who strangled me in Cogswell Hall during my freshman year of ‘86 ( the Rockfest event). I screamed at the top of my lungs til the SRAs and DPS officers came up to the 4th floor. I seriously thought I was gonna die at that spot. They pulled the guy away from me. I cried hysterically and shaken. Maybe about 20 minutes later, that guy and I were merely told by the lousy signing DPS officers to say sorry and shake hands … move on. They treated us like we are children. That guy had been “scot-free” on campus til his problems increased til he was thrown out in Fall of 86! DPS is a joke. I am not surprised because I keep hearing about the ugly incidents that keep popping up every now and then.
March 20th, 2007 at 8:57 pm
They have not learned anything from the Carl Dupree tragedy.
The deep understanding of Deaf Culture and ASL Level 6 or higher would be enough good for new DPS officers to be hired by Gally.
March 20th, 2007 at 9:04 pm
Armed (and expecting trouble) security cops must be able to communicate the language of the people he is to serve and protect.
People entering security work frequently have a mindset that carrying weapons, wielding power and authority, and readiness to manhandle people as one sees fit is a normal situation and that anyone not obeying orders is deserving of punishment or at least rough handling.
Knowing 300 signs from a vocabulary list does not even approach fluency in any language. Would a large Russian-speaking cop be acceptable on the streets of Washington, DC with just 300 words of English related to law enforcement?
This is a very dangerous situation and inexcusable in any environment. In a situation where lack of communication can be used as a weapon in itself, hiring nonfluent cops is irresponsible.
March 20th, 2007 at 10:14 pm
It is a no-brainer for the explanation of the tragic death of Carl Dupree. It continues to amaze me that there is no required qualification to be fluent in ASL even today.
I feel so offended. Why? Look at Koko, the signing gorilla. How many signs does Koko know? Actually, Koko has mastered over 1,000 signs, and had invented new signs and compound words. It’s like a gorilla can do a better job than a hearing DPS. How embarrasing to this human race!
March 20th, 2007 at 10:23 pm
If the DPS at Gallaudet can complete an arrest report/assult report using 300 words (or less) then I guess they could qualify…snicker!
March 20th, 2007 at 11:33 pm
On the other side of the coin, DPS has a high employment turnover because the pay is awfully low. if Gallaudet wants to have qualifed security officers and then they need to pay them well to encourage them to stay for a long time.
When you train DPS officers with a lot of sign language training and then they leave to work for DC Police because the pay is better.
March 21st, 2007 at 12:46 am
300 signs are “not ASL enough!”
March 21st, 2007 at 2:04 am
Yeah, I agree, and, ummm, “Officer, don’t take 300 years getting your message out”.
March 21st, 2007 at 2:12 am
Still not comfortable with that 300 signs from the DPS! Not safe!
March 21st, 2007 at 5:43 am
Unbelievable! Unacceptable!
March 21st, 2007 at 7:25 am
There have been way TOO many serious and fatal altercations that could have been easily avoided/resolved quickly with fluent ASL skills. This cannot continue!
Gallaudet needs to change their thinking - recruit interested & fluent ASL users, then TRAIN them in law enforcement. Not the other way around.
March 21st, 2007 at 7:42 am
Also, imagine being a female student who has been assaulted trying to explain to a DPS officer what has happened. It would just the trauma that much worse.
I think it is easy for us to sit here and say, “Gallaudet needs to do this, and Gallaudet needs to do that.” My question to all of you is, “How?” Where are all these fluent signers who also meet the other qualifications for the job? Are they applying and being passed over? Are they not applying because the pay is bad? Or are there so few of them that Gallaudet is forced to accept non-signers? How come nobody posting comments in this blog has applied for the job? I hear Deaf complain constantly about how hard it is to get jobs. Well, here’s a job. Go get it.
March 21st, 2007 at 8:59 am
The Gallaudet students, a part of your Deaf Community and your future leaders,  NEED your help now. They are very afraid of DPS. So far there has been no disciplinary action against DPS who have assaulted and attacked them. Imagine that?
Alumni stakeholders are important, especially those with children at Gallaudet. Gallaudet need to hear from YOU all. How can they increase this sign language part of job requirement and improve the conditions of DPS so the students will feel safe?
Please contact them at greatideas@gallaudet.edu
March 21st, 2007 at 10:04 am
What about videotaping the DPS officers communicating with students with the minimum requirement in signing?
I’m talking about NOW…videotape the current DPS communicating in signing?
That would be a hard evidence to show. Not on papers, because it makes a difference by seeing!
300 signs? Oh geez, even a hearing pre-schooler can pick up more than 300 signs!
My hearing four years old can probably sign more than they do.
And that’s living with a hearing family and a deaf mom!
No excuses - especially at GALLAUDET.
Absolutely NOT!
March 21st, 2007 at 3:18 pm
It may be a silly question but I wonder if we really need DPS when we can call DC police during emergencies. We could only have security people work at the front gate checking people in but I’m not sure if we need DPS on the whole campus? What do you think? Also maybe someone needs to come up with ideas for DPS to be able to communicate fluently with deaf people as not all people can learn sign language. WHat if we get a great DPS person but he/she does not sign very well, what do do? Would assistive communication tools be handy for DPS to use? I would much rather hire a competent DPS who knows how to deal with people in crisis situations, help them out and perform their duties in the most professional way.
March 21st, 2007 at 4:25 pm
I just realized if we called DC police, there would be more communication barriers involved. But if DC police were called, would interpreters be there to help faciliate communication or not? I just wonder? Also what about DPS, can they get interpreters to come along with them in situations that they need to faciliate communication?? Gallaudet has their interpreting department so why cannot an interpreter work with DPS? Is that a possibility or not?
March 23rd, 2007 at 12:00 am
I agree with Candace, Raychelle, and IAMMine. Would a French university like the Sorbonne hire English-speaking DPS? Unbelieavably amazing that GU lacks senso comune!
March 29th, 2007 at 5:05 am
[...] by deafnn on March 20th, 2007 DPS: Minimum 300 Signs: “Mishka Zena Endless [...]