Clearer Conversations, Safer Communities: Pocketalk in Clatsop County Public Safety

In Clatsop County, Oregon, public safety teams are using Pocketalk to foster trust, de-escalate tensions, and ensure that language differences never stand in the way of service. Across the region, from the jail in Astoria to patrol routes in Cannon Beach, deputies and officers say the translation device has transformed the way they work.

Now, multiple departments across the county consider Pocketalk a vital tool for parole officers, booking deputies, community corrections staff, and patrol officers, especially in a rural area where access to interpreters is limited and internet service can be inconsistent.

Empowering Better Communication Every Day

Deputy Melanie Davis, a parole and probation deputy with the Clatsop County Sheriff’s Office, first discovered Pocketalk while searching for an alternative to using her personal phone or Apple Watch for translations. She explained, “I was trying to find something that I could use with our adults in custody that would not be a security or safety risk.”

Once she found Pocketalk online and tried it herself, the benefits became clear. “We live in a really small rural community on the Oregon coast,” Davis said. “We do not have a lot of deputies or even office staff who speak a second language. So when we have someone come in that doesn’t speak English or Spanish, it [Pocketalk] is our only option to communicate.”

After Davis began using the device at work, the department deployed more units throughout the county. Today, Pocketalk is used by deputies, jail staff, deflection agents, and other enforcement officers. “All of our enforcement officers within the county, I believe, have access now,” she noted.

One Tool, Many Hands: Rapid Adoption Across the County

Clatsop County Sheriff’s Office did not require a formal training program to get started with Pocketalk. According to Davis, “It’s really easy to use once you open it. It’s self-explanatory.” She made it a point to walk her colleagues through how it works and noted that even the people she communicates with find it easy to use. “I’ll say, ‘Hey, this is a translation tool. It’s going to help us communicate. Is that okay?’ And they’re excited to know they’re going to be able to speak in their language.”

The ease of use also stood out to Officer Cody Dietel from the Cannon Beach Police Department. Dietel purchased a Pocketalk device for himself after experiencing a language barrier during a call. He had attempted to explain a citation to a Spanish-speaking man, but the communication gap led to confusion and physical resistance. “Once we got to the station, I was able to use their Pocketalk,” he said. “I was finally able to have an effective conversation back and forth with him. Everything went smoother once I was actually able to explain why he was in trouble. It was amazing to see how much of a difference Pocketalk made.”

Dietel noted how much easier it is compared to using over-the-phone interpretation services or unreliable phone apps, especially in Oregon’s wet, windy climate. “I’m sitting there with my phone on speaker, hoping the wind isn’t too loud,” he said. “With Pocketalk, I have all the information. If it’s a criminal investigation, I can use Ventana to go back through the translation history and make sure I have the correct wording of what was said, which really matters.” Ventana strengthens the translation ecosystem with a centralized admin panel that provides organizations with management and security capabilities, while also delivering insights into their translation tools, usage data, and device performance.  “It’s great to take those translations and log them in a report,” he said. “Especially if I’m writing something where exact wording matters.”

Creating Space for Clarity, Respect, and Rapport

For law enforcement officers in Clatsop County, communication is not just about efficiency. It is about accountability and safety. “Pocketalk allows us to build rapport and have a connection with community members,” Davis shared. “That’s really big in community corrections. We have to let them know what the rules are or follow up on complaints, and if we’re not speaking the same language, it’s really hard to enforce a judge’s orders.”

Lieutenant Kristen Hanthorn, who has used Pocketalk with both victims and adults in custody, agreed. “We were really struggling with communication. We used to pass the phone back and forth with a language line, but that’s clunky and awkward. With Pocketalk, it’s so much better.”

Dietel added that the device has helped shift community dynamics, especially for people who may feel uncomfortable approaching law enforcement. “We have a big Hispanic population here,” he said. “There’s a history where they haven’t always felt safe talking to police. But with Pocketalk, they know they’re being heard.”

Unexpected Benefits and Everyday Impact

Clatsop County’s geography and tourism-driven population make Pocketalk especially useful. “Our town has about 1,400 people year-round,” said Dietel, “but during spring break, we can have up to 40,000 people in town. They come from all over the world.” He routinely uses Pocketalk for directions, ordinance questions, and traffic stops with visitors who speak French, Russian, German, among other languages.

Beyond convenience, Pocketalk helps officers and community members connect on a human level. “I had one community member who was really concerned about seeing his children,” Davis recalled. “If I hadn’t had Pocketalk, I wouldn’t have even known what he was saying. It helped us engage services and support his relationship with his kids.”

Dietel also mentioned that Pocketalk has helped him become more fluent in Spanish through repeated use. “My spouse is Hispanic, and I’ve learned a little bit through her,” he said. “But I’ve actually learned a lot just from using Pocketalk. People love that we can communicate with them, and they really appreciate that I try to speak their language.”

Shaping What Comes Next Through Better Access

Officers across Clatsop County see Pocketalk as an essential part of their duty belt and one that has room to grow.

From booking rooms to the riverwalk and rural communities, Pocketalk is helping Oregon’s law enforcement officers ensure that every conversation counts, and every community member can be heard, no matter what language they speak.