Siamone Bangphraxay is a detective sergeant with the Los Angeles Police Department. But she was in downtown Houston today (Aug. 5) saying “thank you” rather than investigating a far-flung crime network.

As president of the National Asian Peace Officers’ Association, the detective (front row of photo, wearing silver insignia) accepted donations from the Southwest Management District to fund participation by Asian-American officers of the Houston Police Department in the association’s national training symposium and exposition. 

NAPOA check presentation

This year the four-day symposium starts Monday, Aug. 8, at the downtown Marriott Marquis Houston hotel. It’s been 22 years since the national gathering took place here.

At a news conference at HPD headquarters, the Southwest Management District presented a check for $10,000, through the Houston Police Foundation, to the national association to cover symposium fees for about 29 Asian-American officers across the city.

The International Management District — the Southwest District’s neighbor along the sprawling Chinatown corridor in southwest Houston — provided an additional $2,100 for participating officers in its area. The Spring Branch Management District and Gulfton Area Management District each provided $1,750 for officers in their areas, and the Southwest District contributed an additional $1,750 likewise.

In total, the management districts — which are clients of Hawes Hill and Associates, LLP — are sponsoring about 54 officers.

“The Southwest District is always proud and glad to team up with HPD,” said District Chairman Kenneth Li (front right in photo). “This is another golden opportunity to show our work with the city and especially our Houston Police Department.”

The event highlighted the productive ties between the city’s Asian-American population and HPD.

The Southwest and International districts form the heart of the Houston area’s Vietnamese-American community, the second largest in the United States. The districts also contain many of the city’s most diverse and dense neighborhoods, including significant Chinese-American and Hispanic presences.

HPD cadet classes tour Chinatown business as part of their cultural orientation to the city’s many diverse neighborhoods.

Also, management districts frequently fund equipment purchases and training fees for HPD officers,  security cameras, extra safety patrols, graffiti abatement, litter removal and other public safety projects in their service areas.

Addressing representatives of the District, HPD Assistant Chief Ban Tien, who oversees the city’s Homeland Security operations, said, “I cannot thank you enough for being such a great partner and being such a public safety champion.”

Peter Acquaro, chairman of the District’s public safety committee, added, 

“If we can help (HPD officers) be better, in turn they are going to help our communities be better.”

Click here to see how HPD and the Southwest Management District reduce crime by working together.

(Photo also includes other HPD leaders, National Asian Peace Officers’ Association leaders, District board members and a Houston Police Foundation leader).