‘Educate, empower & engage’: Orange County Sheriff’s Office AAPI team helps reach the community

ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. — Law enforcement is sworn to protect the community, and an Orange County Sheriff’s Office liaison team helps reach a diverse population.

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Deputy First Class Thomas Lin is one of the contacts in OCSO’s Asian American and Pacific Islander program.

To his knowledge, this is the only AAPI-specific liaison team in Central Florida.

The task force started in 2022 to have a connection to the Asian community in the area. They are trained to work with investigators on AAPI-related crimes and provide insight into cultural or translational barriers.

Read: Sheriff’s program aims to strengthen Orange County’s Asian community

“We’re trying to work as a team and resolve any concerns,” Lin said.

As May is Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month, Lin said society has come a long way in recognizing Asian heritage, including having a dedicated group in the sheriff’s office.

Lin said Orange County Sheriff John Mina and the staff have gladly welcomed their new ideas.

“We’re here to help educate, empower and engage the community,” Lin said. “And I’ll say it’s been a success.”

Read: Orlando immigration attorney advocates for Asian American representation

The awareness that the group exists spreads across the county through the events they attend.

The AAPI liaisons receive requests to share what they do and give people the information they need.

Through their networking, the group has contacts in senators’ offices, with various mayors and other community organizations.

And it’s not just about connecting with citizens—the team also wants to be a resource for other law enforcement agencies.

Read: ‘I’m here to connect’: Liaison to the Asian community shares experience working for Orange County

They hope that later down the road, they will spark employment and volunteer opportunities in the AAPI community.

Sergeant Canh Bui is also an AAPI liaison. He said it’s been a great experience giving back, and his tight-knit family also spreads the word about how they are a resource for people.

“For my family being able to see me out there, like ‘hey, you know, my son is part of the AAPI liaison group, (for) Vietnamese culture,” Bui said. “And being able to just give them that extra ‘hey it’s OK to report crimes, you know, my son is part of that group and he can help you out or he can answer some of your questions,’ it’s been really good.”

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