Bangladeshi Americans Find a Home in the NYPD Amid Diversification Efforts

Strategic Insights -

Dozens of Police Department officers, including 1,000 Bangladeshi Americans, gathered at a Bronx mosque for the somber occasion of Officer Didarul Islam's funeral. Islam, 29, was shot in his uniform just days before, marking the latest tragedy in a series of high-profile killings of police officers in New York City. The Bangladeshi American community, comprising over 1,000 officers and 1,500 civilians, has found a home in the NYPD, contributing to the department's increasing diversity. The Bangladeshi American Police Association, founded in 2015, aims to foster upward mobility, recruit new officers, and build connections with the community.

Key Takeaways:

  • The Bangladeshi American community has become a significant part of the NYPD, with over 1,000 officers and 1,500 civilians as part of the department.
  • The Bangladeshi American Police Association was founded in 2015 to foster upward mobility, recruit new officers, and build connections with the city's wider Bangladeshi American community.
  • The association has grown exponentially due to recruitment drives and word of mouth, with members inviting residents to consider joining the department.
  • The NYPD has long served as a harbor for immigrants in New York, offering good pay, security, and benefits.
  • The department has diversified over the decades, with 17% of uniformed officers being Black, 33% being Hispanic, and 12% being Asian, mirroring the city's population composition.
  • The Bangladeshi American community has expanded into new neighborhoods, establishing businesses, houses of worship, and a distinct cuisine.
  • Some young Bangladeshi Americans have turned to politics or swapped construction work for other employment, such as food delivery or Uber driving.
  • The association was founded in part to combat Islamophobia that ran rampant in the US after 9/11, with its mission to "dispel the misconception that you are Muslim and there is somehow a connection to terrorism."

Statistics:

  • 1,000 Bangladeshi American officers belong to the Bangladeshi American Police Association within the NYPD.
  • 1,500 civilians work for the NYPD, making the Bangladeshi American community the second-fastest-growing fraternal organization.
  • 17% of uniformed police officers are Black, 33% are Hispanic, and 12% are Asian.
  • 45% of civilian NYPD employees are Black, and 17% are Asian.
  • The Bangladeshi American community in NYC has grown by 15,000 people in the past decade, according to a 2022 report.

Sources:

  • The New York Times
  • "Bangladeshi American Police Association"
  • "Park Avenue office building shooting"
  • "Little Bangladesh" in Brooklyn's Kensington neighborhood
  • "9/11" attack
  • "The New York Dominican Officers Organization"
  • "Pakistani American Law Enforcement Society"