NYPD Forms Group to Recruit and Mentor Asian American Officers

Composed of high-ranking Asian American officers, the Asian American Police Executives Council of the New York Police Department (AAPEX) celebrated its inception on November 1 at One Police Plaza, NYPD’s headquarters.

The force currently has 21 captains and 13 lieutenants of Asian descent who are eligible for the promotion. Their eventual promotion would constitute an unprecedented 10% of the 350 captains of the NYPD, which is larger than the number of Asian police officers in the department.

 

The number is expected to further increase as the AAPEX Council sets to offer mentorship to Asian American officers. The program is aimed at cultivating them to become ready for leadership positions, providing better access to promotions, according to World Journal via City Limits.

Former NYPD deputy commissioner Hugh Mo and Transportation Bureau chief Thomas Chan both chair the advisory board for AAPEX.

The group was an initiative of Mo himself, who pointed out that the number of Asians who have joined the force increased significantly in the past decade. Mo also noted that the number of Asian ranking officers has grown rapidly in recent years.

Asians currently make up 9% of police Academy graduates each year, with over 550 Asian American officers ranked sergeant or above, including those who are up for even higher promotions.

Chan, who serves as the highest-ranking Asian American police officer in the NYPD’s history, revealed that nearly half of the department’s high-ranking Asian officers are immigrants, and two-thirds of them are Chinese Americans.

“Many of them are the first in their families joining the NYPD,” Chan was quoted as saying. “It is not easy for immigrants growing [up] in traditional culture to get the support from their families to become police officers.”

Feature Image via 环球云视