Police interpreters bill hits £2m

Police in the West Midlands spent a record £2 million on interpreters last year to cope with the influx of immigrants to the region.

Language experts were paid £2.02 million - more than double the bill from 2002/3 and the first time the figure has topped the £2 million mark.

They are earning up to £36 per hour by translating police interviews and taking statements.

The figures come less then a week after a chief constable called for more Government cash to cope with problems posed by an influx of migrant workers following the expansion of the European Union.

The Express & Star has also seen a list of rates for the hundreds of interpreters who are called into action by the force.

Between 8am and 8pm Monday to Saturday, translaters are paid £18.50 per hour, with a minimum payment of £55.50.

The force said it has a list of around 370 who were available.

On Sundays and Bank Holidays, the hourly rate jumps to £36.90, with a minimum payment of £110.70. A 12-hour shift would mean a payment of £442.80.

But the force was unable to say how much was spent on victims, suspects, offenders or witnesses.

West Midlands Police spokesman Steve Garey said today: "Costs of interpreting services have risen over the last few years, reflecting the increasing diversity of the communities we serve.

"For example, the recent expansion of the European Union has created a more diverse workforce.

"It's important to stress this is not just about criminal matters, but an active engagement with both new and established communities about any issues affecting their quality of life."

The most common languages West Midlands Police officers come across are: Albanian; Arabic; Bengali; Cantonese; Czech; Dutch; French; German; Greek; Gujarati; Hakka; Hindi; Italian; Kurdish; Mandarin; Farsi; Dari; Polish; Punjabi; Pushto; Romanian; Romany; Russian; Serbo-Croatian; Somali; Tamil; Thai; Urdu and Vietnamese.

Exclusive by Mike Woods