A council for high-ranking Asian American police officers in New York City formed last Friday, marking the growth and importance of Asian Americans in the force.
Hugh H. Mo, former NYPD Deputy Commissioner-Trials and co-chair of Asian American Police Executives Council, founded the council,
Mo who was the first Asian American to reach the Deputy Commissioner-Trials rank in 1984, called AAPEC a “watershed event” at a ceremony in NYPD’s headquarters. The police force has come far since then — in 1984, there were less than 20 Asian American officers in the force, and Mo said that not a single one was a sergeant.
Despite unprecedented growth since 1984 and increased representation in the past year, Mo said Asian Americans are still underrepresented in NYPD because the overall population of Asians in New York City is 15%.
However, AAPEX strives to provide a community and promote the interests of both Asian American leaders and junior officers in the NYPD.
“I believe it is incumbent for Asian American police executives to have a strong voice in the NYPD and to advance leadership development and mentoring of junior Asian officers to be future leaders in the Department,” AAPEX President and NYPD Captain Stewart Hsiao Loo