Following in the footsteps of the Orthodox Jewish neighborhood watch group known

Following in the footsteps of the Orthodox Jewish neighborhood watch group known as the Shomrim, Asian Brooklynites will have their own all-volunteer Civilian Observation Patrol (COP) in Sunset Park’s 72nd Precinct, reports Heather J. Chin for Home Reporter News. It is the first in New York City specifically for the Asian community.

The Brooklyn Asian COP currently has 15 Asian-American men whose job, writes Chin, is to be “another set of eyes and ears for the local precinct, providing reports of any suspicious and criminal activity while helping to bridge the cultural and language gap between police and the Asian immigrant community.”

While the patrol group is described as focusing on the Asian community, the volunteers so far appear to be primarily of Chinese descent, with English, Mandarin, Cantonese, Fujianese and Toisanese spoken among them.

A COP helps establish a relationship between police and the community, said the captain of the precinct.

“The culture is changing and it is important that the community feels they are working in partnership with us,” explained Captain James Grant, commanding officer of the 72nd Precinct. “Having a COP is beneficial towards getting residents to feel better interacting with us. Then, once there is a success story, we can acknowledge them and build [even] more trust and outreach.”

For more on the Brooklyn Asian COP, read the full article at Home Reporter News.