Chinatown Public Safety Association

The Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI) in partnership with the Chinatown Public Safety Association (CPSA) presented information about criminal tax investigations and related financial crimes that have occured in the Asian community. Topics included Tax Evasion, Money Laundering, Illegal Income, Fraud, Counterterrorism, Currency Transaction Reports (CTR), the Bank Secrecy Act and criminal convictions involving Asians.

On Tuesday, December 6, 2005, the Los Angeles Electronic Crimes Task Force in conjunction with the Secret Service’s National Threat Assessment Center (NTAC) and Carnegie Mellon University’s CERT Program will host a Pilot Training program to present the findings and implications of the Insider Threat Study, a behavioral and technical analysis of illicit computer activity by organizational insiders. The study analyzed acts of insider sabotage on computer systems in the banking and finance sector and other critical infrastructure sectors.

This event was the first time that Los Angeles based Federal Law Enforcement Agencies have joined forces to recruit new Agents and Officers providing a unique opportunity for prospective Asian and non-Asian applicants to meet and talk with recruiters from various federal agencies.
The participating 17 agencies included the U.S. Secret Service, U.S. Marshal Service, Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Federal Bureau of Prisons, Department of State Diplomatic Security Service (DSS), Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI), Naval Criminal Investigative Service (NCIS), Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration, U.S. Immigration Customs Enforcement (USICE), U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Federal Protective Service, U.S. Border Patrol, U.S. Coast Guard, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, and Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF).

The Chinatown Public Safety Association (CPSA) helped the Mayor's office inform and invite the Asian Media to his Press Roundtable where he made himself available to the Asian Print Press to answer questions. At the event, Mayor Villaraigosa emphasized the significance of diversity.

The U.S. Marshals, the oldest and most versatile law enforcement agency in the nation, partnered with CPSA to host a Media Roundtable for the Asian Media. The U.S. Marshals are involved in every federal law enforcement initiative. The press conference was conducted by U.S. Marshal Adam Torres and included eight different presentations, which educated the Asian community on Court Operations, Jails, Judicial Security, Enforcement and Investigation, Seizures and Civil Process, K-9 Bomb Unit, Asset Forfeiture, and Witness Protection.

CPSA participated in the Moon Festival in LA Chinatown, sponsored by the Chinese Chamber of Commerce (CCC), in continual efforts to inform the community about the organization and about public safety. The presentation of the CPSA booth included safety information on identity theft, personal security, a ready kit display, and television and newspaper displays of CPSA events. CPSA's booth was neighbors to the booth of law enforcement partners LAPD, which provided a police car display for visitors of the festival to take pictures with.

CPSA participated in the Chinese Food Festival in LA Chinatown, sponsored by the Chinatown BID, informing the community about the organization and about safety with passing out CPSA balloons, safety brochures, auto theft locks and displaying an identity theft information board and television media broadcasts of CPSA safety events in different languages including Chinese and Japanese.

CPSA participated in the LAPD National Night Out at Pershing Square in Downtown LA, sponsored by the LAPD to support LAPD in their walk against crime and help promote safety. CPSA had a booth with crime prevention brochures and passed out balloons. CPSA was the only community based organization that participated. Local citizens had opportunities to meet with senior lead officers and received free gun locks and child fingerprinting.

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives (ATF) partnered with the Chinatown Public Safety Association (CPSA) to host a Media Roundtable for the Asian Media. The event educated the public about the ATF federal law enforcement agency and their goal to protect public safety in preventing terrorism and reducing violent crime. Special Agent in Charge John A. Torres, Los Angeles Field Division, conducted the press conference, which included a K-9 dog performing a bomb-sniffing demonstration, an explosives expert with fake bombs, a firearms expert with an illegal firearms display, a special response van, a display of illegal & counterfeit cigarettes & tobacco products, and a tour of the Gun center.

The Chinatown Public Safety Association (CPSA) celebrated years of dedicated service to public safety at the 23rd Annual Awards Banquet dinner at the Empress Pavilion Restaurant in Los Angeles Chinatown. Over 500 people attended including leaders from the Asian American communities, elected officials, and heads of various government agencies. Honorees for the occasion included Samuel T. Mok, CFO for the U.S. Department of Labor and former CFO and Comptroller for the U.S. Department of Treasury, who received the Outstanding Public Service Award; Debra W. Yang, U.S. Attorney for the Central District of California, who received the Criminal Justice Leadership Award; and Hing Lee, Vice President of the Chinese Consolidated Benevolent Association, who received the Community Service Achievement Award. CPSA also presented Edwin Mah, CCBA President of the Board of Directors, with the Community Leadership Award; LAPD received the Community Policing Award; and CPSA Volunteer Patrollers were recognized for their distinguished community service.

FBI and U.S. Secret Service team up in the Electronic Crimes Task Force in collaborative efforts to combat computer crime. At the conference on May 18 th, 2005 the FBI, including officials from Washington D.C., joined the Secret Service in Los Angeles to discuss cybercrime. Other conference participants included U.S. Attorney Debra Yang; District Attorney Steve Cooley; Vice Chairman and Executive Director for Department of Justice, Intellectual Properties Task Force, Arif Alikhan; Deputy Chief Gary J. Brennan of the LAPD; Chief Richard Castro of the Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department; Deputy Chief James Baker of the CHP; Chief Cyber and Intellectual Property Crimes Section, Los Angeles U.S. Attorney’s Office, Elena Duarte; and other senior officials from the LAPD, Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department, and the LA District Attorney’s Office.

On Saturday, May 15, 2005, LAPD, Chinatown Public Safety Association (CPSA), Chinese Consolidated Benevolent Association (CCBA) and other organizations partnered together for a United for Public Safety Walk through Chinatown. LAPD Captain Blake Chow, CPSA President David Gee, CCBA President Edwin Mah and other representatives walked through the business district of Chinatown and met with merchants and organizations.

Chief Padilla and other members of the California Highway Patrol (CHP) partnered with the Chinatown Public Safety Association (CPSA) to host an event at the CHP's East Los Angeles location to discuss CHP's role, responsibilities, homeland security and safety. Presentation areas included (1) a tour of the station, (2) motorcycle demonstration, (3) helicopter display, (4) shooting simulator truck, (5) mobile command unit, (6) car roll simulator, (7) recruitment, (8) child safety instructor, (9) free service patrol unit and (10) commercial officer for big rig trucks to present an overview of the CHP and demonstrations of safety.

The Chinatown Public Safety Association arranged television interviews for the TVB-Jade channel to broadcast vital information about identity theft. Participating organizations included the Identity Theft Economic Crimes Task Force, LA Electronic Crimes Task Force and the Chinatown Public Safety Association. Viewers across the country learned about the latest methods of stealing identity and how to protect yourself from becoming a victim.

The California Asian Peace Officers Association (CAPOA) hosted its 37th Annual Awards and Installation Banquet celebrating over three and a half decades of membership and service to the various communities in Southern California. Over 100 Asian officers from federal, state and local law enforcement agencies participated. The banquet program included the innstallation of the 2005 Officers and scholarship and award presentations.

FBI and InfraGard Los Angeles Members Alliance hosted a "Computer Crime Conference" on criminal and civil crimes involving information and information systems. A dozen different media companies attended, informing the Asian public on the most recent developments and investigations in cybercrime and cyberterrorism. The conference and was held at Loyola Marymount University.

The FBI sponsored a Junior FBI Agent Program at a local elementary school to educate the students about internet safety. Students learned about staying safe from internet predators by creating screen names without too much information about yourself, being aware of who you talk to online, not sharing too much personal information, and other safety tips when using the internet.

The Chinatown Public Safety Association (CPSA) joined Los Angeles Chinatown in celebrating the Year of the Rooster 4703 at the annual Chinese New Year Festival.
Safety brochures, balloons, toys, stickers and other goodies were handed out informing the community about the CPSA Community Police Service Center and safety.

Members of the Japanese National Police High Technology Crimes Section from Japan came to Los Angeles to receive training from the U.S. Secret Service on Computer Network Intrusion Investigation and advanced computer forensics. The relationship built by the U.S. Secret Service and Japanese National Police from this training displayed the need for different countries to work together to combat the international problem of high tech crime.

Members of Councilman Reyes' office, LAFD, LAPD, and CPSA participated as speakers for the Chinese New Year's Press Conference, which was held at the Chinatown Central Plaza. The press conference was presented as a celebration of the Chinese New Year, but also discussed illegal fireworks and celebrating safely.

The Asian Outreach Program, presented by the U.S. Postal Service and U.S. Postal Inspection Service, was held at the Los Angeles Processing and Distribution Center. This press event presented an overview of the U.S. Postal Service and Postal Inspection Service. Topics discussed included Biodetection System, identity theft, mailing requirements, and fraud affecting the Asian community. A tour of the Los Angeles Mail Processing and Distribution Center followed the press conference.