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Hoffman Estates officials want more bilingual police officers and firefighters.
Yesterday, a village committee approved a measure that would give preference to applicants who are fluent in a second language.
Hoffman Estates Mayor Bill McCleod says officials are trying to serve the area’s growing Latino, Polish and Russian populations.
""The community has stepped up to say yes, we need to do this, we need to make sure everybody who lives in this community knows they’re a vital, integral part of this community. Whatever their religion is, whatever their race is, whatever language they speak -- you’re part of Hoffman Estates.]
The 2000 census indicates about a third of residents in the northwest suburb speak a language other than English at home.
The village board is expected to vote on the measure in two weeks.”