Bilingual Chicago police officers help bridge trust, reduce crime in Chinatown

Bilingual Chicago police officers help bridge trust, reduce crime in Chinatown

Chicago Police Sgt. Hoyin Terry To uses his ability to speak Cantonese and Mandarin to better serve Chinatown residents and build trust in the community.

CHICAGO - The Chicago Police Department's push to recruit bilingual officers is making a visible impact in Chinatown, where officers like Sgt. Hoyin Terry To are bridging language and cultural gaps in the community.

To, who grew up in Hong Kong, speaks both Cantonese and Mandarin and understands the nuances of the culture. His language skills help him build trust and encourage communication with residents who may otherwise hesitate to interact with police.

"I speak Chinese. I speak two dialects. I speak Cantonese and Mandarin. I understand the culture since I grew up in Hong Kong, when I was little," said To, who is one of 13 Chinese-speaking officers in the 9th District.

"So lots of Chinese have a tendency [to be] more reserved when coming to interacting with police. So I usually give them patience and time and let them open up using time. We also share the same language. I think it's going to be helpful for me to understand what they try to deliver," he said.

Efforts to improve communication and foster relationships between Asian-American communities and police appear to be working. The 9th District, which includes Chinatown and Bridgeport, has a significant population of non-English-speaking residents.

"In the 9th district here in Chinatown, in Bridgeport. We have such a large population of non-English-speaking residents. It's vitally important to public safety. We need people to be able to trust in the police and the fact that many of them speak Cantonese in Mandarin makes all the difference in somebody's comfort level in reporting crimes, interacting with the police,"Ald. Nicole Lee (11th), the city’s first Asian American female City Council Member.

Lee has witnessed a rise in robberies and assaults in her neighborhood and has worked to distribute bilingual materials that encourage crime reporting.

"So we have these signs, we call police and we do them in Chinese and English and on the other side, how to give a proper description," she said.

According to Chicago police, violent crime in the 9th District is down 24 percent this year compared to last, with robberies dropping by 44 percent. Officials credited the decrease to a combination of neighborhood watch groups, security camera networks, and community policing efforts.

To, now patrolling the same streets he grew up on, said the role is deeply personal.

"They usually say hi to me. They wave at me, and sometimes they give me a smile as well," To said. "It's a special feeling. I grew up with them, and now I serve and protect them."

"I want to give back to my community because I grew up here, I was raised here. So I want to give back to my community," To added. "The number one goal is to help people. That's my primary goal to to be a police officer to help people."

The Chicago Police Department continues to actively recruit bilingual officers. The 9th District currently staffs a Chinese-speaking officer for nearly every shift.