BOULDER, Colo. – To better serve the evolving needs of our diverse community, the Boulder Police Department is proud to announce the official launch of a companion Spanish-language traffic citation and resource form.
This initiative is designed to bridge communication gaps, enhance officer and community member safety and increase department efficiency.
The idea started within BPD’s Traffic Unit, which identified a significant hurdle during traffic stops: even when roadside interpretation services were used, drivers often left the scene with a physical citation printed exclusively in English. This disconnect frequently led to:
• Missed court dates due to a lack of translated procedural instructions.
• Unpaid fines resulting from confusion regarding payment methods.
• Safety risks to everyone caused by increased time at the traffic stop given the nature of interpretation services delays.
Beyond the legal implications for drivers, language barriers have historically strained city resources. On average, a traffic stop involving a language barrier takes three times longer to resolve and often requires the dispatch of additional officers to assist with translation. That also results in fewer officers available for other calls and slower response times to other calls.
By providing citations and resource documents in Spanish, the department expects to see a marked improvement in roadside efficiency, allowing officers to return to patrol more quickly while ensuring the driver fully understands their rights and responsibilities.
“Our goal is to ensure every interaction between an officer and a community member is clear, fair, and professional,” Chief of Staff Alastair McNiven said. “By providing these resources in Spanish, we are removing a significant obstacle to compliance and ensuring that everyone in our community has the tools they need to navigate the legal process successfully. I’m grateful for the input and contributions from our Community Connectors in Residence and other community members with lived experience who helped in the creation of this form.”
The new forms include translated information on how to pay fines, how to contest a citation in court, and where to find additional legal resources such as a court interpreter, information on driver’s licenses and license plate requirements, as well as contact information for Spanish-speaking BPD liaison officers.
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