In the United States, there are repeated incidents of severe police violence against deaf individuals. The reason: Many police officers are not properly trained on how to communicate with deaf people. They often misunderstand sign language or typical deaf behavior as “aggressive” or “resisting” — and respond with violence.
Three Tragic Examples
1. Robert Kim – Beaten While in Diabetic Shock
Two years ago, Robert Kim had to stop his car due to a flat tire. Shortly afterward, he experienced a diabetic shock and was sitting disoriented on the grass. When officers arrived, he tried to signal that he was deaf and in a medical emergency. Instead of calling an ambulance, the officers beat and tasered him for not responding to their spoken commands. At the hospital, he was in life-threatening condition.
2. Pearl Pearson – Severely Injured Despite “I Am Deaf” Sign
In January, 64-year-old deaf man Pearl Pearson was pulled over by police. He tried to show a placard that read “I am deaf,” but officers pulled him from his vehicle and brutally assaulted him. His shoulder was dislocated, and his face was badly swollen. After his arrest, the officers quickly realized—through a license check—that Pearson was indeed deaf. Police dashcam footage shows them cursing after realizing their mistake. Nevertheless, the officers were not charged. Instead, Pearson himself—whose two sons are police officers—was charged with “resisting arrest.”
3. Jonathan Meister – Sign Language Mistaken as Threat
In February, Jonathan Meister was moving boxes from a friend’s house when police mistook him for a burglar. He attempted to communicate in sign language, but the officers saw his gestures as “threatening.” They beat, tasered, and choked him until he lost consciousness.
Root Cause: Lack of Awareness of Deaf Culture
These cases are not isolated. They point to a widespread problem: Many police officers do not understand how deaf people communicate. Facial expressions, body language, distance, and hand movements are normal parts of sign language. But to untrained officers, these behaviors may seem strange or even threatening.
Yet the law is clear: The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) requires law enforcement officers to provide appropriate communication support for deaf individuals—such as sign language interpreters or written materials.
What Urgently Needs to Change
- More training for police officers: Every officer must learn how to recognize and respond to deaf communication to avoid dangerous misunderstandings.
- Cultural sensitivity: Officers must understand the basic principles of deaf culture and sign language.
- Justice for victims: In many cases, officers are not punished—even after clear use of excessive force. Deaf victims and their families often have to sue in court for years to receive compensation.
What Can the Deaf Community Do?
Organizations like the ACLU, HEARD, and deaf actress Marlee Matlin are working on an educational sign language video to inform deaf people of their rights when interacting with the police.
However, the responsibility does not lie with the deaf community alone. Deaf individuals cannot protect themselves from police violence on their own. It is up to law enforcement agencies to ensure these tragic cases do not happen again.
