Philadelphia officials met with Cambodian residents to reduce tensions of the shooting death of a Cambodian youth

Officials, Cambodian residents discuss tensions in Olney 

July 25, 2012 

By Michael Matza, 

INQUIRER STAFF WRITER

Throwing a spotlight on rising tension between Philadelphia police and Cambodian residents of Olney - who released a report Wednesday that accused some officers of harassment - community activists and representatives of federal, state and local agencies met shoeless on the woven prayer mats of a Buddhist temple in an effort to replace rancor with reconciliation.

Wednesday night's standing-room-only meeting drew about 150 people - among them representatives of the U.S. Department of Justice, the Philadelphia Commission on Human Relations, the mayor, the district attorney, and the governor, as well as a ranking deputy police commissioner - to the temple on Rising Sun Avenue.

It was in response to a July 15 incident in which a patrol officer shot and killed Vanna "Tiny" Sok, 25, who, police said, refused an order to drop his weapon and instead leveled it at the officer.

The One Love Movement, a volunteer advocacy group for Cambodians in Philadelphia, presented a report citing 30 instances in days following the shooting in which it says police used "crybaby gestures" to mock neighbors' mourning for Sok, and flashed their middle fingers at people assembled on the street near his makeshift memorial and told them to disperse or they would get "a free ticket to the hospital."

If they failed to move on, the report said, they were threatened with Tasers. The complainants said police automatically suspect them of participating in gangs.

"Who can we turn to," asked One Love organizer Sokhom Touch, "when the same people who swore an oath to protect us are the ones harassing us?"

Deputy Police Commissioner Stephen Johnson said he would need the names of all complainants and would investigate thoroughly.

"No one should be harassed regardless of their color or ethnicity," said Johnson, who made available complaint forms in the Cambodian language. "We take this very seriously. If we sustain these findings, an officer can be fired or skipped over for promotion. . . . You are not going to get lip service from us."

As efforts at defusing crises go, participants said, the meeting was remarkably open-minded.

"This is by far the most outstanding meeting I have ever seen, under very difficult circumstances," said State Rep. Mark Cohen. "I think that is a good sign for the resolution of these problems."