Chinatown Auxiliary

For decades, Chinese residents have patrolled Manhattan's Chinatown as NYPD volunteer police to protect the few blocks they call home while finding belonging in a foreign, unwelcoming country. From the savage tribulation in the '70s to “Asian Hate” during the pandemic, these stories remind us of the hope the U.S. represented to the tired, the poor, and the huddled masses yearning to belong.

For decades, Chinese residents have patrolled Manhattan's Chinatown as NYPD volunteer police to protect the few blocks they call home while finding belonging in a foreign, unwelcoming country. From the savage tribulation in the '70s to “Asian Hate” during the pandemic, these stories remind us of the hope the U.S. represented to the tired, the poor, and the huddled masses yearning to belong.

In New York City's Chinatown, senior residents have weathered change in their Manhattan neighborhood. These immigrants, and members of the auxiliary police, have seen waves of crime and prosperity over the years that put them and their fellow neighbors at risk. But police presence during that time also caused unease as they did not have a relationship of trust with law enforcement.

The auxiliary police of New York City's Chinatown is made up of Chinese seniors who volunteer their time to patrol the neighborhood. Auxiliary Chiu shares his own story as to why he joined and the need for him and his fellow members to keep connecting with the community - to protect and serve the Asian and Asian American residents from hate, especially in the time of the pandemic.

David, a member of the NYPD volunteer police in Manhattan's Chinatown, shares the story of his father's escape from China and immigration to the United States. His father endured war and advised his son to do as he did. But he questions whether America is safe for him in a time of hate.