STEPPING STONES. The Eau Claire Police Department and the Eau Claire Area Hmong Mutual Assistance Association are putting together the second annual Hmong Youth Day on May 19. (Submitted Photos)

With the many law enforcement-related tragedies that have occurred in the past few years, the Eau Claire Police Department is adamant about strengthening its relationship with the community, specifically the Hmong community. This is why the ECPD as well as the Eau Claire Area Hmong Mutual Assistance Association (ECHMAA) created the Hmong Youth Day last year.

This year, the second annual event will have all of the same fun, including games, prizes, a K9 demonstration, a Crime Scene Unit (CSU) demonstration, a squad car to sit in and look at, a mix of Hmong and American foods, and much more. It will be held 5-8pm Thursday, May 19, at 1320 W. Clairemont Ave., Eau Claire.

While this event is meant to be fun, it is mostly about breaking down fears between the community and the police as well as building stronger relationships. 

“(The ECPD) has had a really good relationship with the Hmong community,” said Andy Wise, the department’s Youth Services Section sergeant. “So when things were happening across the county that were obviously tragic and concerning for all of us, we used that as an opportunity to remind ourselves that we have our own community to take care of and we shouldn’t take those relationships for granted.”

In the years to come, both ECPD and the ECHMMA hope more community organizations will come together to join the bonding so the whole community can be involved in one way or another. 

To learn more about the Hmong Youth Day, you can contact the ECHMAA Community liaison, Justin Yang, at buildingbridges@echmaa.org or call (715) 832-8420.