LanguageNews
Taiwan and the United States Officially Offer First Chinese Language Course for Police Officers
NTDTV March 26th, 2018
Now let's take a look at the growing Chinese community in Houston, and police officers of the local police department will start receiving Chinese language training. Their Chinese Language Course for Police Officers is offered in cooperation with the Education Division of Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Houston. This is the first institutional cooperation between Taiwan and the United States in offering this type of education.
The Chinese Language Course for Police Officers was proposed by the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Houston. Teachers at the University of St. Thomas will offer Chinese language training for police officers of Houston Police Department to improve their communication ability in the Chinese language. The University of St. Thomas holds a welcoming party at the beginning of the course on March 22nd.
Mr. Peter C.Y. Chen, Director General of the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Houston: "We hope that the Chinese language course will help police officers in Houston use Chinese for better communication with communities while they are on duty, and that it will reduce the number of misunderstandings."
The Chinese Language Course for Police Officers is a one-year cooperation project. The course emphasizes basic communication in Chinese, and contents were selected based on the needs of the Houston Police Department.
Chief Art Acevedo indicated that the police hope to raise services to new heights in response to the rapidly growing Asian and Chinese community.
Chief Art Acevedo: "The Asian and Chinese communities among the fastest growing communities. We are promoting 'relationship-based law enforcement,' meaning that we need to build relationships, and the best way to do so is to directly and immediately communicate with communities. This is the first time a course like this is being offered in the United States, and we are very proud of ourselves."
Chief Art Acevedo: "(Speaks in Chinese) Hello! Take care!"
The Chinese Language Course for Police Officers is a 10-week elective course with 90 minute classes once a week.
Maria, who has a Ph.D in linguistics, is one of the course's teachers from the University of St. Thomas: "I've included 6 to 7 different topics here. Traffic, weapons, immigration, need for assistance and medical care are all basics and will allow them to communicate with locals whose native language is Chinese."
The first training course will begin next week.
NTDTV Reporters I Yong-Chi and Hung Yu reporting from Houston