Police Officers’ Reflections on Using Alternative and Augmentative Communication During Investigative Interviewing of People with Speech, Language and Communication Needs

People with speech, language, and communication needs (SLCN) frequently experience barriers in their meetings with the legal system, and equal access to justice is not yet a reality for them. One area for improvement seems to be police officers’ competence about SLCN and how to provide support for people with SLCN during investigative interviewing. In this study, eight Norwegian police officers participated in focus-group interviews to share their perspectives on using alternative and augmentative communication (AAC) when interviewing victims with SLCN. Participants highlighted the need for information about SLCN and AAC at all levels of the legal system, so that support needs of people with SLCN could be better understood and supported also beyond the context of the investigative interview. Moreover, findings indicate that participants were highly motivated to give a voice to people with SLCN so that they could be heard in the legal justice system. At a practical level, participants identified challenges with finding appropriate graphic symbols to support communication during the police interview, and they suggested building an expert network for police officers who conduct AAC-facilitated interviews.