The Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office Volunteer Interpreter’s Bureau was
established in 1980. Its purpose is to provide a resource for crime victims,
witnesses, suspects, and citizens who have difficulty communicating with our
officers due to a language barrier. The language gap has only widened
since Hurricane Katrina as the area was inundated with migrant workers looking
to help us rebuild our communities.
The volunteer interpreters receive training in basic skills to assist the
Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office as needed for translations in a variety of
situations. Our interpreters are used for situations as minor as a traffic s to
major criminal investigations. In each situation, a law enforcement officer is
present with the interpreter. On occasion, interpreters may be called upon to
assist in courtroom proceedings. Our interpreters offer a vital link between our
officers and non-English speaking persons who need our assistance.
Our interpreters represent many languages including:
- Arabic
- Farci
- Spanish
- German
- Vietnamese
- Korean
- Chinese
Mandarin
We are currently seeking to expand the Interpreter’s Bureau. If you or someone
you know may be interested in becoming an interpreter, please contact Deputy
Kent Wolkart at 504-376-2426. The prospective interpreter must be a Jefferson
Parish resident, must have no criminal record and must be fluent in both English
and the language that they propose to interpret for.