AfterTek

As an interpreter, Gloria Lupo-Torres is an important help of court hearings for many Spanish-speaking defendants. During a recent murder trial, Lupo-Torres, 41, of Whiting, sat next to defendant Victor Curbelo, repeating in Spanish everything that is said by the judge, attorneys and witnesses.

As the region’s Spanish-speaking population grows, many service providers must keep up in order to effectively meet the needs of that community. Lake Criminal Court Judge Thomas P. Stefaniak said he calls in an interpreter at least once a week. Which makes most people wonder if maybe everyone, who is in an important business position, should learn to speak Spanish.

Dealing with a language barrier in a controlled, courtroom setting is one thing, but what are police officers do when they encounter a non-English speaking person during a traffic stop or arrest? Porter County Sheriff’s Department Sgt. Tim Emmons said many officers carry a small, English/Spanish translation book that lists many common questions and directives. Out of Hammond’s 211 sworn officers, 20 speak Spanish, Chief Brian Miller said. Usually, at least one of those officers is working a shift and can be called to help translate.

The local police academy teaches a class in “survival Spanish,” Miller said. Every officer has to take in-service training and that’s one of the classes they can choose. Miller also said his officers use a translation booklet. “It has typical phrases officers might need like, ‘Is this your car?’ or, ‘Keep your hands on the car,’” Miller said. It is a problem, however, if someone calls 911 for help and they don’t speak English, Miller said.

Hammond doesn’t have an operator that speaks Spanish. Porter County has several, Emmons said, and usually one is on duty every shift. It also helps that they can instantly switch back and forth to other dispatch centers. “Odds are good someone is working that can help,” Emmons said. “It (the ability to speak a second language) is certainly something we look for in new hires.” When it comes to voting, anyone who feels the need can take a friend or family member into the booth with them to interpret, said Michelle Fajman, who works for the Lake County elections board.

The new Infinity voting machines have Spanish and English instructions. The county has not yet reached the percentage of Spanish-speaking residents that would require the election board to have everything in Spanish, Fajman said. A list of voter’s rights in Spanish and English is posted outside the election board office. It’s getting easier for Spanish-speaking residents looking to buy homes in the region.

Shawn Spaw, an agent with Coldwell Banker in Valparaiso, said he finds the Spanish he learned living in Latin America for seven years often comes in handy. Douglas Godoy Willems, who owns Willems Realtors in Schererville, is a first-generation Hispanic whose parents are from Chile. He started his business five years ago and has seen it grow as many Spanish-speaking people from Chicago look to relocate to the region. “The average income for Hispanics is rising, and as a result many are looking for a second, or vacation home outside the city (Chicago),” Willems said. “I just sold a house to a Hispanic buyer in Cedar Lake.”

Realtor Dawn Roman, of Keller Williams Realty, has only Spanish-speaking clients. “Spanish-speaking people trust you completely because they don’t know anything about the market,” Roman said. “Most of the time they don’t know the area. A lot come from Chicago, and they can now afford around here.” Roman said she has seen a lot of changes in the 20 years she has been in Hammond. “Spanish-speaking people never used to have a newspaper,” she said. “Banks weren’t open to Spanish people, I used to have to send them to Chicago banks, but now I can work with a few in Hammond.”