The Asian American Voters Alliance along with several community groups presented an award of excellence to NYPD Commanding Officer Tommy Ng, of the Asian Hate Crimes Task Force, as a token of appreciation.
The ceremony was held outside of the Murray Hill LIRR station at Barton Avenue between 149th Place and 150th Street in Flushing on July 19.
“We are all created equal by God as one human species. We might have different skin color, but one blood color is under our skin. We are one family. Hate will break this family, community, city and nation,” said Terance Park, president of AAVA. “Thus, let us extend our hands of love to our brothers and sisters and overcome this time of hate. That’s why Inspector Ng is fighting to protect us from hate crimes, and I present this award on behalf of all peace-loving Asian communities.”
Ng, who is the new NYPD commanding officer in charge of fighting the spike in violent crimes against Asians, thanked AAVA and community leaders for the recognition for the job that he loves to do every day.
He also encouraged members of the Asian community to report hate crimes.
“Please do not hesitate to contact and report to the police when you’re attacked. That’s the only way that we can help you,” Ng said. “If you don’t make a report, there will be no arrest and stopping hate crimes. So, please speak up, stand up, and we’ll speed up bringing justice for you and the Asian community and New York City. I take this award very seriously and this award will enable me to go the extra mile to serve you and our community. Thank you.”
In an interview with CGTN in May 2021, Ng said that a lack of understanding of how to report these incidents and how the criminal justice system works is a disadvantage for Asian Americans. According to Ng, the NYPD Hate Crimes Task Force, which has 35 detectives who speak 11 Asian languages and dialects, is very crucial to helping Asian Americans feel more welcomed and building trust with officers who speak their native language.
Born in Hong Kong, China, Ng came to the U.S. at the age of 16 in 1988.
In 1995, he encountered a police officer from the Brooklyn South Task Force, who shared the intricacies of his job as a police officer and their impact on peoples’ lives, according to Ng’s biography on the Asian American Police Executives Council website.
It was at that moment Ng knew he wanted to pursue a career as a police officer.
After taking the NYPD entrance exam and within a year after graduating from Brooklyn College, Ng was sworn in as an NYPD police officer in 1997 and embarked on his career in law enforcement.
From the outset, Ng said he was determined to work tirelessly to make a difference in serving the community.
His career highlights include becoming the first Chinese American to hold the position of commanding officer in two precincts, and the first Chinese American to have attended the Police Management Institute at Columbia University.
He has served the three largest Asian communities in New York City: the 109th Precinct in Flushing, the 72nd Precinct in Sunset Park, Brooklyn and the 5th Precinct in Chinatown, Manhattan.
