Vietnamese Community Association Responds to Police Beating of San Jose State Student
Letter by Nguyen Tien N. (President of VAC Norcal)

Dear Mayor Reed:

Once again a Vietnamese has become the victim of use of excessive force by the San Jose Police under questionable circumstances. On September 3, a young mathematics student at SJSU, Phuong Ho was tasered and beaten, some of which beating was administered after he was already handcuffed.

On May 10, 2009 Daniel Pham was shot to death as he stood confined inside a fence in his family home’s back yard. The Pham family is still waiting more than 5 months later, for release of the police reports and the coroner’s report. Few of the Pham family’s questions, respectfully asked, have been answered. Instead they have been met with a wall of silence from the City of San Jose and the District Attorneys Office.

In 2003 Bich Cau Tran, a local housewife, shot to death in her kitchen by San Jose Police Officers.

Has the San Jose Police Department improved or strengthened its training on how officers are advised to respond to these types of incidents to resolve them
short of the use of excessive or deadly force?

What type of conduct and standards do the San Jose City Council, its Mayor, and the Chief of Police expect from our police force?

What type of conduct by police do the City Council, Mayor and Police Chief regard as unacceptable?

Why has there been such long delay in releasing any of the reports in Daniel Pham’s case?

When are City Council members, the Mayor and the Police Chief going to come out into the Vietnamese community to meet with citizens and hear their concerns? Do meetings of concerned citizens always have to be held in the City Hall?

Isn’t it time for San Jose to bring in recognized experts on police training and use of force from outside Santa Clara County to provide a wider and more independent perspective on San Jose’s clear problems with its police department.

The Mayor, City Council and Chief of Police are not grasping the depth of shock and pain which is felt by thousands of San Jose’s Vietnamese-American citizens. It is clear to us that “damage control” at City Hall has come first, and that genuine outreach to and respectful listening to San Jose Vietnamese community is critically needed in this crisis.

Sincerely,

Nguyen Tien N. (President of VAC Norcal)