LAPD Olympic Station officers feel connected with Korean American Community

[LAPD Olympic Station 15th Anniversary]

“The Korean American community is like family to me.”

That’s the sentiment shared by officers at the Los Angeles Police Department’s (LAPD) Olympic Community Police Station since its inception.

The department reports that approximately 30 percent of the 235 officers and investigators in the Olympic Division have been part of the team since the beginning.

While it’s common for officers to transfer to other stations for promotions, a significant number have chosen to remain at the Olympic Station, the department notes.

In particular, the Senior Lead Officers (SLOs), who oversee different sections of the precinct, are predominantly founding members. Six out of the 10 SLOs have been with the department from the start, with the others joining within the first year or two.

Their enduring commitment is attributed to the strong bonds formed with the community.

“The Olympic Police Station has fostered a solid relationship with the community, thanks to the long-standing presence of SLOs who are dedicated to policing and representing their neighborhoods,” stated SLO Supervisor Diana Riddle, who came aboard a year after the station’s opening.

SLOs serve as the LAPD’s ambassadors to the community, tasked with monitoring specific issues or crime trends and facilitating communication between the police and community members.

As a result, SLOs often work extended and night-time hours.

“We have family at home, but we also have family in this community,” expressed Harry Cho, a Korean-American SLO at the station for 15 years. “We’ve built relationships over more than a decade, watching children grow and mourning at parents’ funerals. It’s these connections that anchor many SLOs to the Olympic Police Station.”

Officers highlight a significant reduction in gang-related crimes over the past 15 years as a key achievement.

“I grew up near Hoover Street Elementary School,” shared SLO Cho. “Back in my youth, we saw considerable gang activity from groups like MS-13 and the 18th Street Gang. The establishment of this station and subsequent police actions have drastically cut down gang crimes, marking a major success for us.”

However, the station’s close-knit ties with the community come with challenges.

Some Korean community members prefer not to use translation services from non-Korean-speaking officers, insisting on Korean-speaking officers, which adds pressure on Korean-American officers.

“There’s a bit of a dilemma because officers are torn between their primary duties and constant interpretation requests,” SLO Supervisor Riddle explained. “While it’s crucial to have Korean officers, it’s equally important to have volunteers for interpretation to ensure trust-based communication.”

The desire for more Korean-American officers is strong within the community, yet there’s a palpable concern for Korean parents wary of their children entering law enforcement.

“The demand for Korean-American officers is growing, but so is the reluctance among parents to see their children join the police force,” Cho noted, emphasizing the potential impact on Korean-American officer recruitment. “For our families and community’s safety, collaboration with the police station is essential.”

BY SUAH JANG, KYEONGJUN KIM, JUNHAN PARK
[jang.suah@koreadaily.com, kim.kyeongjun1@koreadaily.com]