Police departments throughout the United States continue to face criticism that their departments do not adequately represent the communities they serve. Perceptions of police bias reduce the likelihood of effective police–community partnerships, and may make community members and officers less safe. Cultural differences and language barriers also contribute to misunderstandings and possible negative encounters between citizens and the police. It is well known that the demographic characteristics of the population of the United States are rapidly changing and some citizens do not have the skills needed to communicate effectively with law enforcement (Shusta et al., 2005). Similarly, police may not always realize how their actions or demeanor