 There's now a new way in Minnesota to hopefully bridge the gap in communication between law enforcement and those who are deaf or hard of hearing. Sarah Winckelman spoke with local law enforcement about their thoughts on this new method. If you see these lights coming up behind you, most people tend to get anxiety. But for those in the deaf or hard of hearing community, it can be extremely stressful. Let's imagine that it's nighttime and maybe the officer shines a light in the window. It's hard to read lips or understand what the law enforcement officer is saying to them. But with the new cards, it's a much easier path down the two-way street of communication. And it's also going to help reduce the tensions of not only the individual but also law enforcement because we'll know exactly how we need to communicate to get the information that we need. Now for those who are deaf or hard of hearing, they'll keep the cards in their car with them. When the officer approaches, go through step by step. What they did, whether it ran a stop light, stop sign, if they're speeding. The communication cards also address what type of help is needed, what information is needed, and how to best communicate with the individual. This came from the community. So we have been working with the deaf and deaf hard of hearing community for over a year to both address the need for this type of tool and also to develop it. Put into action earlier this month, the communication cards will soon start to be more prevalent in the community. I'm looking forward to it and actually I think from a first responder perspective it's also beneficial for FIRE and EMS because if they arrive on the crash scene before law enforcement gets there, they're going to have the same benefit of knowing that there is a communication barrier and how to go about getting past that. To get a communication card for yourself or a loved one, you can contact the Minnesota Department of Human Services. Their information can be found on our website at lptv.org. If you enjoyed this segment of Lakeland News, please consider making a tax-deductible contribution to Lakeland PBS.