By love-89.com On October 25th, the New York City Police Department (NYPD) held a promotion ceremony at the Queens Police Academy, where nearly 200 officers were honored for their advancements. Acting Police Commissioner Thomas Donlon presented each officer with their new rank and certificates, which included over a dozen Asian-American officers. Among those promoted were Chinese-American Captains Ronald Cheng and Sam Zheng, both of whom were elevated to Deputy Inspector.
The ceremony recognized a total of 172 officers who were promoted, with 13 of them being of Asian descent. The ranks awarded included Detective, Sergeant, and Lieutenant. Highlighted during the ceremony were Ronald Cheng and Sam Zheng, who achieved the highest promotions among Asian-American officers. Cheng joined the NYPD in July 2005 and has dedicated nearly 20 years to the Patrol Services Bureau and the Housing Bureau.
Early in his career, Cheng patrolled the 122nd precinct for five years before serving as a Sergeant in the 71st precinct for four years. After his promotion to Lieutenant, he was assigned to the 77th precinct for special operations. During the past three years as a police officer, Cheng has served as the Deputy Inspector for several housing precincts, and he currently oversees the 4th Housing Precinct, managing the government buildings in the areas of Manhattan’s 5th, 7th, and 9th precincts, which include many residents of Chinese descent.
Cheng graduated from SUNY Stony Brook with a degree in biology and is fluent in Cantonese. He expressed that his promotion is a recognition of his hard work and dedication. As the first Chinese-American to serve as the Deputy Inspector of the 4th Housing Precinct, Cheng reflected on his motivation to join the police force, stemming from his own experiences as a crime victim in his youth. He shared that after being attacked on the street during college, he felt a desire to contribute positively to his community and ensure others wouldn’t have to endure similar experiences.
At 42 years old, Cheng shared that his parents immigrated to the U.S. in the late 1970s; his father is from Hong Kong, and Cheng himself was born in New York. On this notable day, numerous family members were in attendance to support him. Following protocol, Cheng may soon be reassigned after this promotion, but he indicated that he plans to continue with his current responsibilities until further instructions are received. He encouraged fellow Chinese-Americans to work hard, saying, “We have many opportunities; as long as we keep striving, we will see results.”
Also present at the event was Mo Hu, founding president of the Asian American Police Officers Association (AAPEX), who emphasized that Cheng and Zheng’s promotions are “symbolic.” He noted the significance of one being born in New York and the other immigrating at 14, highlighting how both have contributed to the growth of Asian American officers through hard work and dedication. Since 2019, AAPEX has supported the career development of Asian officers, with 25 out of its 61 members attaining the rank of Deputy Inspector or higher, including 19 promotions in the past three years.
Other notable promotions included Qiang Chen and Eric Liang, who were elevated to probationary Sergeants, along with officers Karyn B. Kim, Sonia C. Yi, Vincent Ching, Edward Lam, Jack Deng, Nicholas Hom, and Monica Chong.