LAPD Begins Campaign to Recruit Asians

To lure Asian Americans to work for the Los Angeles Police Department, the city began its first recruitment campaign Wednesday by sending out the word in eight languages that the force welcomes them.

“Only 4.5% of the officers are Asian,” Faye Washington, general manager of the city Personnel Department, said at a news conference at the Police Academy.

She said the city’s initial goal is to increase the number of Asian Americans on the force to 7%, a level set by the Police Commission several years ago, then even higher to “mirror their exact numbers” in the population.

“We hope that this message gets out in the communities of Los Angeles and all the surrounding communities because everyone needs to know that the city of Los Angeles is serious about diversity,” Washington said.

Compared to the 4.5% figure for Asian Americans, whites make up 54% of the force, Latinos 26% and African Americans 15%. Women make up 16% of the force.

Asian Americans, about 10% of the city’s population in the 1990 census, are expected to approach 20% by 2000.

On Saturday, the Police Department is holding what Police Chief Willie L. Williams said will be the first Asian Pacific Career Fair, from 8 a.m. until 1 p.m., at the Police Academy, 1880 N. Academy Drive. Forty police personnel, including the chief, will on hand to answer questions.

“While we have a long way to go, the recruitment campaign is an important first step,” said Stewart Kwoh, president of the Asian Pacific American Legal Center of Southern California, who brought together a coalition that lobbied to increase the ranks of Asian Americans in the department.

The low Asian representation is partly attributable to the fact that Asian Americans were not actively pursued by the LAPD in the past. They were excluded from the 1980 consent decree that required the LAPD to set goals to increase the number of women, Latinos and blacks on the force to better reflect the city’s population. But another reason for the small number is cultural. Because of the emphasis on education and professions, many Asian families push their children to become doctors, lawyers, engineers and scientists.

Lt. Paul Kim, 45, the highest-ranking Asian American on the force, said Asian families should consider the LAPD as a viable career option for their children because it offers “rewarding professional opportunities.” Jobs range from patrol duties to top management positions, he said.

“It offers you a chance to be a somebody--(and at the same time) to be in a position to help someone,” Kim said.

Kathy Imahara, a legal center staff attorney who met with city officials to push the issue, said that until “very recently” Asians and Pacific Islanders felt entirely left out.

“We wanted to work not only with the LAPD but with a lot of other law enforcement associations out there, but we weren’t always finding the door open to us,” she said. But now, “the police chief and the new mayor are making a real difference.”

Williams said he hoped to see Asian Americans pack the Police Academy auditorium Saturday.

“By meeting face to face with Asian police officers, a lot of people who are apprehensive about working for the Police Department can have their questions answered,” said Officer Cindy Chow, who chose to become a cop instead of an accountant.