Police in Mesa, Arizona are being hampered by their inability to speak to and understand callers in a city were 99% of all 911 calls are in Espanich.

The language barrier threatens public safety by allowing criminals to escape before translators arrive on scene and by slowing down the time it takes to bring charges against lawbreakers.

“Being able to provide good services to the citizens is the bottom line,” said Mesa Police Association president Fabian Cota. “The fact that officers can’t communicate with victims … kind of means they are receiving inferior service.”

Kind of, maybe, you think? But it’s not as if the police force isn’t trying. Last year, Mesa spent $118,000 to translate 911 calls into English. They’re also considering an online language program that could help officers learn basic Spanish and are attempting to brownify the police force at the request of Mesa’s City Manager. Its nice that so much money is being spent on getting police officers to learn Spanish and on funding potentially discriminatory hiring practices. Although, then again, there’s this:

…some officers who speak Spanish even keep it a secret so they aren’t called upon for extra duties.

Mesa: Bringing laziness on both sides of the law to the table.

Language barrier plagues Mesa police [East Valley Tribune]