CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Nationwide just 14% of police officers identify as Latino, and even fewer are certified Spanish speakers, according to the most recent data from the U.S. Department of Justice.
Meanwhile, the Charlotte Mecklenburg Police Department is trying to change the trend.
Inside Taqueria Number 1 on Independence Boulevard, Spanish is the native language. The food is a representation of Ruben Martinez’s culture.
“I’m from Mexico," Martinez told WCNC Charlotte. "I’ve been living in the United States for 25 years."
As a business owner, he has seen the need for officers who better reflect the neighborhoods they serve.
“It’s very important to have bilingual officers,” Martinez said.
CMPD Officer Claudio Jimenez agrees.
“The Spanish-speaking community in our city is growing exponentially,” Claudio Jimenez, CMPD Steele Creek Division-Latino Outreach Specialist Officer, said. “We want to give the best services possible to everybody.”
According to the police department, there are nearly 1,800 officers. Only 85 of them are fluent in Spanish.
“There’s always a need for more representation,” Jimenez said.
Jimenez said CMPD continues to make big efforts to improve recruitment of Spanish-speaking officers, by offering incentives.
Through their Secondary Language Incentive, officers earn 5% more if they speak a second language. But Jimenez says it goes beyond money, they’re able to serve the Latino community better when they become victims of crime.
“It’s like a huge weight comes off their shoulders and now they feel they can express what happened in detail and they can open up,” Jimenez said.
And being armed with a second language helps break down fears.
A big part of that is creating more education.
“CMPD has nothing to do with immigration,” Jimenez said. “Our work is to help and if you call us we will come and help you no matter where you are or where you’re from we will help you because that’s our job as police officers.”
It’s that kind of education that Martinez agrees is needed and can serve as "more information for the community."
Contact Lexi Wilson at lwilson@wcnc.com and follow her on Facebook, X and Instagram.