KENTWOOD, Mich. — Being the Kentwood neighborhood reporter I see our community's cultural diversity every day — and so does the Kentwood Police Department.
"Most recently with our public school, with Kentwood, we serve over 107 countries that you know come from, from outside, and then 117 languages." Chief Bryan Litwin of the Kentwood Police Department said.
That prompted the department to break through that language barrier, adding an AI-powered translation system to its body cameras that can translate more than 50 languages in real time while officers are on patrol, designed to speed communication with neighbors, callers and witnesses who don't speak English as a first language.
Chief Litwin says it will help reduce misunderstandings between officers and the public, something he has noticed in his two plus decades with the department.
"So our officers having to be able to communicate effectively initially, and then build those bridges that can be difficult," said Litwin.
Launched department-wide this fall, the Axon AI software in officers' body cameras provides real-time translation. The impact was heard instantly.
"When we did the training just with our test group, one of our officers went out, an hour later, made a traffic stop," said Litwin. "The individual spoke Bosnian, and so immediately he put it into effect and talked to and explained, this is what I'm making the stop for."
The system knows more than 50 languages, from Spanish, to Swahili, Arabic, and so much more. It also has the ability to add more languages the officers might need.
The technology allows officers to better build a connection with our community.
WATCH: Kentwood police add AI translation to body cameras with 50+ languages, helping to break language barriers.
"It's hard enough. I think when you go and talk to somebody and they don't speak the language you do now, you put a uniform on and the authority," said Litwin."I think it brings an ease to them. It also brings it ease to our officers."
The AI system also has access to updated laws and general information for officers to reference, making the patrol that much easier.
"There's a lot of things we have to know, and it's just it gets more and more every year" said Litwin. "They can use that AI technology to at least get started down that path and then follow up to make sure this is correct. That the law is correct."
The biggest benefit to the Chief is how his department connects with the Kentwood neighborhoods.
"One of my captains went the other day to speak to an elementary school, and one of the girls there spoke Arabic, and he was able to talk to her in Arabic, and the kids were blown away by that," said Litwin. "It helps build that trust in our officers and what we do that we're making this effort to communicate."
Every officer on patrol currently has one of these body cams with the AI system built in.
Chief Litwin hopes it will continue to make officers better, and the community safer.
