Director of CPE Interpreter Program Shares Opinion in Globe
Dr. Michael O’Laughlin, program director of the Interpreter Certificate Programs at Metropolitan College’s Center for Professional Education, offered his opinion on a Boston Globe article, “Methuen police misled Spanish-speaking drivers suspected of DUI, lawsuit says.” In his letter, published October 27 in the Globe’s Opinion section, Dr. O’Laughlin observes that “people who are limited English proficient, or LEP, often do not receive the same information given to everyone else when they are stopped for operating under the influence.” He continues by advocating that police should seek qualified interpreters when interacting with LEP people. O’Laughlin is a legal interpreter certified by the states of California and Massachusetts. He has a lifetime of experience in the courts as an expert witness in cases with language issues.