In L.A., civil rights leaders are asking the Los Angeles Police Department to provide more support to Asian American people who are the targets of violence and harassment.
Connie Chung Joe, the executive director of Asian Americans Advancing Justice-LA, called for more training of police officers so they can identify hate crimes. She also said victims whose experiences don't meet the definition of a hate crime still need support.
In a meeting with the L.A. Board of Police Commissioners, Joe and other civil rights leaders asked police to be aware that some victims are elderly and have limited English. They said officers need to get better at recognizing hate crimes and being sensitive to victims -- but they also made it clear they were not calling for more policing.
The LAPD recorded 15 hate crimes against AAPI community members in 2020 — up 114% from 2019. Three cases of anti-Asian hate crimes have been documented so far in 2021.
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