First ever National Police Language Services conference and awards ceremony recognises ‘vital role’ of interpreters

Forces use a number of language service providers which offer face-to-face and telephone/video interpreting and translation as well as non-spoken interpreting such as British Sign Language.

Leicestershire Police’s head of procurement, Ian Fraser, has been involved in the provision of language services since 2005 and in 2020 he was joined by former police officer Mark Lewis, who is the first National Police Contract Manager for language services.

They were both instrumental in creating the Police Approved Interpreter and Translator (PAIT) scheme and the National Dynamic Purchasing Solution (DPS) for language services.

These two schemes were set up to ensure forces can access approved interpreters who have the right qualifications, vetting and experience and provide a consistent service across the country.

Every year in England and Wales public service interpreters attend around 66,000 face-to-face assignments for police forces often at unsociable times.

To acknowledge and recognise the vital role interpreters and translators play in policing, Mr Fraser and Mr Lewis decided to hold the first ever conference dedicated to the skills and talent of public service linguists and organised the first National Police Interpreter of the Year Awards.

It was held at Leicestershire Police headquarters at the end of last month.

The conference was opened by Baroness Coussins, who is herself a linguist and co-chairs the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Modern Languages to promote the teaching and learning of languages.

She said; “The strategic importance of linguists goes largely unnoticed and unsung, especially in the field of law enforcement and the administration of justice, despite being so vital, vital to the quality of public services, to the quality of justice and to human rights.

“The police, I am pleased and proud to say, have been decisively ahead of the game. PAIT has blazed a trail for high standards which respect all parties involved, including the interpreters themselves, through a dynamic purchasing system. It has set a national standard that others in the public sector should recognise and emulate.

“The police have gone the extra mile in creating a level of engagement that is unprecedented in the UK languages services sector.”

Addressing the delegates, Baroness Coussins said: “Let me offer you all my thanks for the vital work you do, which I know at times can also be very harrowing, dealing with some of the most challenging scenarios it is possible to witness and my thanks and congratulations also to Ian, Mark and all the others who helped to create the PAIT scheme, and especially for having the foresight and generosity to establish the first awards ceremony.”

As well as the award ceremony, delegates at the conference heard a case study from Leicestershire Police about the exceptional work of an interpreter who worked with officers for three years on a very complex case involving up to 24 Romanian victims of crime across two counties.

Paul Hawkaluk, a former police officer who is now a client relationship manager for National Police Language Services (NPLS) also gave a very informative training presentation that counted towards the delegate’s continual professional development.

National Police Interpreter of the Year Awards 2023

Spoken Interpreter of the Year: Winner – Samira Hajmi, Metropolitan Police Service; Runner-up – Shefki Bytiqi, Metropolitan Police Service.

Spoken Interpreter of the Year Judges Commendation: Ahmad Najim, nominated by Language Line (Forces across the North of England);

Non-Spoken Interpreter of the Year: Winner – Alison Gilchrist (Forces across the south west and Midlands); Runner-up – Lesley Weatherson, Hampshire and Thames Valley Police.

Leicestershire Police’s former chief constable, the late Simon Cole, was the National Police Chiefs’ Council lead for language services and the next two awards are in memory of him.

Simon Cole Award for Excellence in Police Interpreting: Winner Karina Stefanescue, Metropolitan Police Service; Runner-up – Monica Iftime, Leicestershire Police.