West Vancouver Police officer is learning the Squamish language

VANCOUVER (NEWS 1130) – It’s a language not many of us speak here in the Lower Mainland, but one police officer believes it’s important for him to learn.

This is an effort to improve the relationship between West Vancouver police and the Squamish Nation.

Constable Jeff Palmer knows quite a few basic sentences, he says Squamish speakers have have been very helpful as he learns the language.

“They’ll find a way to respond to you in Squamish, but include, if you’ve mispronounced a word, they’ll find a way to respond in Squamish and include the words so you can hear it properly.”

Palmer says he wasn’t asked to do this, he personally believes it’s a good thing to do in his position.

“There’s a lot of sad history between police officers and First Nations over the years and people have very visceral, very strong responses to police officers addressing them in one of the ancestral languages of the coast First Nations.”

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