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Local law agencies struggle to balance racial makeup, add bilingual officers
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Deputy Brian Gonzalez, left, speaks with Sgt. Glenn K. Watson while filing paperwork at the end of his shift Friday at the Hall County Sheriff’s Office precinct in Flowery Branch. - photo by Erin O. Smith
When law officers respond to a crime scene, language barriers can slow down an investigation if no translators are available. “When you’re trying to talk to a victim, a Hispanic victim who may not speak any English, it’s very frustrating because you can’t help them. You don’t know what happened exactly,” Gainesville Police Chief Carol Martin said.