Translators Vital For Services, Courts, Police Say

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NASHVILLE, Tenn. - The debate over making English Nashville's official language continues, but who does it affect?

The police and the court system use translators every single day so how will the charter amendment impact the justice system?

The courts can't function and the police can't investigate certain cases without translators. So even if English is Nashville's official language, it won't be the official language of the justice system.

On Tuesday, supporters and opponents of the proposed English-only charter amendment debated. Nashville voters also continue to go to the polls during the early voting period for the Jan. 22 special election.

The scales of justice continue to balance on a real need for non-English services.

"It's surprising how many different languages and interpreters we need from time to time," said court administrator Larry Stevenson.

On Monday night, Metro police responded to a fatal stabbing in East Nashville. Both victim and suspect emigrated recently from the central African nation of Burundi.

At first, no one on the scene spoke English except a 7-year-old witness. Then police found a mother and her 14-year-old daughter who acted as translators.

"I said, 'Can you speak English because we do not have anybody who can translate for us,'" said Metro Lt. Danny Driskell.

Eventually, a Kirundi translator from the Tennessee Foreign Language Institute helped elicit a confession from the victim's husband, Pascal Gahungu. He is being held in lieu of $1.25 million bond.

"Without the translator's help, this would have been a very difficult task to even try to accomplish," said detective Brian Brown.

Although the original English-only charter would have made this kind of investigation virtually impossible, the current amendment has an exception for public safety. But it remains unclear what qualifies as public safety.

As for the courts, they feel they are immune as well. Federal law requires translators for non-English speakers.

"It's imperative because it's required. We cannot try a defendant who doesn't understand the charge against him," said Stevenson said.

So even as citizens gear up for the special election, the city's courts and police department said it's business as usual.

"The police department goes out, we're going to use whatever resources we can find, locate to solve crimes. That's our job. That's what going to do," Driskell said.

As of 3 p.m. Tuesday, nearly 3,000 people have voted early on the English-only amendment; more than 500 people voted Tuesday. The special election takes place on Jan. 22. On Tuesday, those in favor and those against the charter amendment debated at a law firm downtown.

Web Extra: English-Only Amendment Debated In Nashville Law Firm