'I am deaf' cards issued by police for emergencies

A police force has issued small cards that deaf people can use during an emergency to communicate with others.

The cards from Cambridgeshire Police say "I am deaf" and are being distributed by the Cambridgeshire Deaf Association (CDA).

They have a QR code on the back that links to a video service, which offers remote interpretation via a video call.

Matthew Wheeler, from the CDA, said the cards were a "great first step" in allowing deaf people to express themselves.

He said many deaf people found it "really hard to communicate with the police and there's a lot of barriers".

Mr Wheeler said the card could be kept on hand in case of emergency and shown to the police, who would then understand to use the sign video service.

"You have an interpreter wherever you are, even if anything happens like a car crash or you need to ask a police officer something, you can have a conversation," he said.

PC Jake Weldon, from Cambridgeshire Police, said the force began working with the CDA to better understand how it could support people who were deaf or hard of hearing.

"Some [people] have had really positive experiences of this, some have had more negative ones," he said.

"We can make it easier and simpler for the police to understand this person has this need."

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