Interpreters cost PSNI more than €700k a year

Police in Northern Ireland spent nearly £500,000 (€746,300) on interpretation and translation services last year, it was revealed today.

The costs more than tripled as the force called in assistance to deal with 41 different languages.

As the force launched a new interpreters’ guidebook, senior officers predicted demand for the services will rise further due to a huge influx in foreign nationals.

Superintendent Andy McQuiggan said: “As more migrant workers and more people from economic minority backgrounds come into Northern Ireland I see this as something we will use more and more.”

The guide has been developed by police, interpretation and translation experts and criminal justice representatives.

It sets out procedures dealing with interviewing witnesses and suspects, legal rights, identification parades, evidential issues and the legal rights of those detained.

The guide is to be made available to all police officers and experts they bring in to deal with non-English speakers and those with hearing impairments.

Mr McQuiggan, who heads up the PSNI’s Community Safety Branch, identified three areas where interpreters are used.

Officers on the street dealing with a non-English speaker can phone the British National Interpretation Service and be put through to someone specialising in the appropriate language within 60 seconds.

Face-to-face interviews with a crime victim or witness can also be arranged through the Northern Ireland Council for Ethnic Minorities, which keeps a register of interpreters.

Police also keep close links with the Royal National Institute for the Deaf (RNID), which provides signing services.

The level of demand was disclosed at the unveiling of the guidebook.

Inspector Robin Dempsey, who helped produce the 93-page dossier, confirmed the overall costs involved for 2004/2005 had been £136,000 (€203,000).

But in the last financial year that figures has rocketed.

During those 12 months £320,000 (€477,600) was spent on face-to-face work, £108,000 (€161,200) on translation services, £40,000 (€59,700) on telephone-based assistance, and £10,000 (€14,900) on sign-language expertise.

The rise in budget has been driven by an unprecedented level of foreign nationals – and not just from traditional countries.

Alongside Russian, Lithuanian, Portuguese and Polish language requirements, Urdu, Hansa, Sorami and Tagalog have posed significant new challenges.

“It’s not just victims and witnesses to crimes, its about getting information out to a diverse public," Mr Dempsey said.

“Our racial incident leaflet is now distributed in 15 different languages.”