Talk of The Villages Florida - View Single Post - Why ASL Interpreter Access Matters—Even in Retirement Communities
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Old 09-02-2025, 10:46 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by shut the front door View Post
Just don't hire the one from Tampa Police dept press conference who was signing gibberish because she doesn't even know ASL.
How does that even happen?
It’s a wild—and deeply troubling—story, "Shut the front door" The incident you’re referring to happened in 2017, when a woman named Derlyn Roberts appeared at a Tampa Police Department press conference and claimed she was there to provide ASL interpretation. She wasn’t hired, vetted, or certified. She simply showed up, and officials—under pressure and assuming someone else had arranged it—let her interpret during a major announcement about a serial murder arrest.

What followed was complete gibberish. Deaf viewers were left confused and angry, as Roberts signed nonsensical phrases like “pizza,” “monster,” and “bear,” instead of relaying the actual information being shared. She had no formal ASL training and had a criminal history involving fraud and impersonation.