Volunteers help Mesa with translating 911 calls

Mesa resident Ed Gonzalez said America has given him so many opportunities that now he wants to give back.

The 30-year-old Costco baker has begun volunteering about 16 hours a week to translate Spanish calls for Mesa police 911 dispatchers. The city is hoping to bring in other volunteers like Gonzalez and expand the volunteer program to save money on costly translation services.

“It feels good helping the people,” Gonzalez said. “They’re calling because they have trouble. It’s good to know you’re helping people in the same language, then they feel comfortable.”

In 2006, Mesa spent $118,000 to translate calls that weren’t in English. And in the first four months this year, the city has spent $28,000. Most of the calls were in Spanish.

With only five certified Spanish-speaking operators out of 120, the communications center often relies heavily on a program called Language Line.

The program allows dispatchers to connect with translators for most of the world’s languages. However, as the need for translation services rises and the city faces tighter budgets, new ideas — like using volunteers — are becoming necessary.

“During lean times, it’s the creative ideas that are working,” said Cari Zanella, public safety communications administrator. “For us, it’s a perfect fit. Volunteers want to help and our 911 center can use the help.”

Police Chief George Gascón came up with the idea for the volunteer program after department analysts figured out how much translation services were costing the city.

“They thought, ‘Why couldn’t we get individuals who are bilingual and have them immediately available?’ ” said Mesa volunteer coordinator Linda Bailey.

Gonzalez, who will take his citizenship test in July, came to the U.S. from Mexico more than five years ago and hopes to someday become a police officer. He has already volunteered with the city’s DUI van.

When Gonzalez volunteers in the 911 call center, he puts on headphones and sits in the room until he is waved over by a dispatcher and connected to a Spanish call. Recently, he translated a high-priority call for a robbery in the area of Eighth Avenue and Country Club Drive.

“(The people) feel like, ‘Oh now I can say what I have to say,’ ” Gonzalez said.

Bailey said Gonzalez has told her he can actually hear people relax after he gets on the phone with them. Zanella said another benefit is that Gonzalez can hear and translate people talking in the background, which could reveal important details in an incident.

“We were in a tradition of using Language Line for so long. But with the city budget, how can you keep the level of quality without sacrificing anything?” Bailey asked. “It just seemed like an obvious."

To Volunteer

Call Linda Bailey at (480) 644-2073. You must be at least 18 years old and pass a background process and drug screen.