The Language Barrier is Becoming a Public Safety Crisis

Over the last two decades, public safety agencies in the U.S. have worked hard to address a critical challenge: communicating with people who speak languages other than English. Early on, the solution was simple—live interpreters over the phone for 911 calls. But as the country has grown more linguistically diverse, the demand for language support has grown too.

From 2021 to 2024 alone, more than 12 million people entered and resettled in the U.S., many joining communities that were already home to speakers of Somali, Vietnamese, Spanish, and more. This has dramatically increased the number of language-complicated interactions public safety personnel face every day.

And yet, the approach to language services hasn’t evolved fast enough.

To meet this challenge head-on, public safety leaders need a complete solution. That’s where the Language Services Triad™ comes in. It’s a three-part approach to fostering a language-equipped community:

• Bilingual personnel who can communicate directly with non-native-English speakers
• Network-based translators (NBT) who provide live interpretation via phone or app
• Machine Translation (MT) devices or apps that offer instant, secure translations in the field

When all three are working together, agencies are equipped to respond with confidence, no matter the language spoken.

Most agencies still rely on just two legs of the Language Services Triad™: bilingual staff and live network-based translators. While these are essential, they come with limitations: staff availability, variable costs, and logistical constraints in the field. What’s often missing? Machine translation (MT).

Here’s how Pocketalk completes the triad:

• Immediate Access: Contrary to what some may fear, MT isn’t about replacing people. It’s about empowering first responders, officers, paramedics, and beyond, to communicate in the moment. It’s the missing piece that allows public safety professionals to meet people where they are in the language they understand best.
• Cost effective: Reduces the annual language services spend while meeting real-time needs. After a one-time capital investment, there is no per-minute or by-the-call charge.
• Safe + secure: From our products to our policies, we offer enterprise-level protection for all your conversations. Pocketalk is designed for rugged use and can be deployed in noisy environments, correctional facilities, patrol cars—anywhere communication matters most.

More importantly, Pocketalk removes barriers to human connection. When a patrol officer can speak directly with someone in their native language—even for just a few moments—it transforms the interaction from transactional to relational. It says: “I see you. I hear you. I want to understand you.”

At Pocketalk, we believe the future of public safety depends on equipping our communities with tools that bring humanity to the forefront of every conversation.

Because in moments of crisis, clarity isn’t just a convenience—it’s a lifeline.