Finance Committee — 09/15/2021 Page 4
From: Kelly Parkinson, Purchasing Manager
Re: Multi Year Interpreting Services Contract in the amount not to exceed $3,500 funded from accounts
55699 Other Contracted Services (Police Department)
MOTION BY ALDERMAN HARRIOTT-GATHRIGHT TO ACCEPT, PLACE ON FILE AND APPROVE A
MULTI- YEAR INTERPRETING SERVICE CONTRACT WITH LANGUAGE LINE PHONE SERVICES, INC.,
IN AN AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $3,500. FUNDING WILL BE THROUGH DEPARTMENT 150 POLICE
DEPARTMENT; FUND: 55699 OTHER CONTRACTED SERVICES
ON THE QUESTION
Mayor Donchess
Deputy, thank you.
Jim Testaverde, Deputy Police Chief
Thank you, Mr. Mayor. Good evening ladies and gentlemen. This contract with Language Line Solutions, Inc.
allows us to further attain the Chief's goal of having a culturally effective organization and there are many
facets to this. This falls directly under language and communication access plan, which is something for years
that we have strived to improve. We've been using emergency 911 for interpretations and translations and
we've been told by emergency 911 they can continue to do this on an emergency basis but for a very in depth
investigation, it is taxing their resources.
Currently NYPD uses this company. NYPD has invested approximately $800,000 to do this. It is an app
based platform. We're going to be using cell phones and iPads that have been donated to the Police
Department. Myself and Lieutenant Pat Hannon came before the aldermanic circle | believe 2020 and you
approved a contract through Verizon called “The Heroes Project”. So the phones, the iPads, and the actual
service program are at no charge to us. This $2,500 fee is a one-time unlimited use, which means we can put
it on as many devices as we want. This would allow us to do interpretations for approximately 240 different
languages to include American Sign Language. We're very excited about this. We're going to put these
devices in the front lobby with our Victim Advocates, patrol units, Detective Bureau, and in booking. Right now
we have applied for a grant through Governor Shaheen's office, the Department of Justice discretionary
funding. We'll find out the end of October if we get it but they complimented us on the use for this. It's pay as
you go. It's approximately $1.90 a minute for the service so it can be costly but we have an obligation to the
community to, you know, be able to take any call for service despite any barriers we have.
| can entertain any questions you may have.
Mayor Donchess
Any questions, comments? Alderman O’Brien?
Alderman O’Brien
Thank you, Mr. Mayor. | applaud you for this. | think there's definitely a need but looking at that, and | think
you know my background Chief, could just be, you know, shared with another Division. | mean, particularly
with Fire. Let's say they do go to a situation could be a medical or something like that where not necessarily
an officer may be there at the time, can it be shared?
Jim Testaverde, Deputy Police Chief
Absolutely. So this is ideal for police, fire, EMTs, social services, any city any public health, any city entity that
is having difficulty making a comprehensive communication due to a language barrier or an impairment of
some sort.
Mayor Donchess
Alderman Harriott-Gathright.
Alderman Harriott-Gathright
Okay you stated $2,500 but | actually said $3,500 so.
