The WA Police Force has designed and developed a new mobile app to improve fairness and equality to Aboriginal communities state-wide during interactions with police officers.
The app named ‘Yarning’ provides spoken Aboriginal language interpretation of important information relating to rights in custody, COVID and youth messaging.
It allows officers to select an Aboriginal language and play aloud key messages to improve understanding by Aboriginal people who have English
as a second (third or fourth) language.
The app currently houses eight Aboriginal languages, which were interpreted and endorsed by Aboriginal Interpreting WA, with three more being developed.
“This app is the first of its kind in Australia and will be available to every single police officer across the State," WA Police Commissioner Chris Dawson said.
“By providing key messages in Aboriginal languages we are being fair and showing the care we have for that community."
A trial version of the application has been successfully piloted in the Pilbara District and will be rolled out to all serving WA Police officers from Tuesday, August 10.
The app has been jointly developed by WA Police’s Digital Policing and Aboriginal Affairs Divisions, and has been endorsed by the Commissioner’s Aboriginal Police Advisory Forum, senior Aboriginal community members, and by senior members of partner agencies such as the Aboriginal Mediation Service, Aboriginal Legal Service and Department of Communities.
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