Occupational Spanish

Survival Spanish for Narcotics Officers

Intended Audience: Narcotics officers, drug task force members, DEA agents, interdiction officers, harbor police, airport police, and customs officers.

Program Description: This program is designed to provide non-Spanish-speaking narcotics officers with functional skills in Spanish for three primary settings: 1) entry and search of premises, 2) highway interdiction, and 3) street arrests. Officers become proficient in the use of Spanish language for real-life situations through learner-friendly techniques. No prior knowledge of Spanish is necessary.

Content: A 65-page manual and four accompanying audio cassette tapes. Work-specific language sections include making a street arrest, executing warrants, searching a premise, stopping a vehicle, searching a vehicle, field questions, medical emergencies, Miranda Warning, and dirty/alert words. Also covers drug table, narcotics officer glossary, Spanish nicknames, consent to search forms, and Latin American documents.

Objectives: Upon completion, participants will be able to use Spanish to disarm a suspect, make arrests and ID individuals, enter and search a premise, carry out a street bust, stop and search suspects, locate drugs, maintain control of suspects through voice commands, control bystanders, obtain consent to search a vehicle, interpret body language messages, use Spanish drug terminology, and recognize offensive (dirty) Spanish words.

IVCE contact: Pam Blake, (641) 752-4645 or 1-800-284-4823, ext. 5617, or e-mail Pam.Blake@iavalley.edu.