Rodney Kath
Police Chief
Arlington Heights Police Department
33 South Arlington Heights Road
Arlington Heights, IL

Dear Chief Kath:

In reading an article from a recent edition of the Daily Herald related to
the attack on a Japanese woman (see enclosure), I was troubled by several
things.

First, Sgt. Jeffrey DuFloth is quoted as using the term "oriental" in
reference to persons of Asian ancestry. The term is passe and it’s use is
considered as a slight by many Asian Americans in much the same manner as the
anachronistic term "Negro" is regarded by African Americans.

Second, the article states that "Arlington Heights police said they were
unaware there were many Asians living at the Lincoln Square Apartments." I
find it somewhat startling that your department indicated this surprise. The
serial rapist has been at-large for approximately three months and it is
known that he is focusing his attacks in Chicago and the north and northwest
suburbs. I would have expected that your department would have identified
areas in Arlington Heights where there are concentrations of Asian Americans
so that you could have heightened patrols in these areas as a means of
providing security to your Asian American residents and as a means of
patrolling the area for suspicious behavior.

The article also indicates that since the attack, officers have been going
door-to-door at the complex with flyers. I’m wondering whether, your
department had taken action prior to this to distribute information on this
attacker to the residents of your community.

Finally, Jean Fujiu, the executive director at the Japanese American Service
Committee, a social service agency, told me today that she called your
department last week, shortly after the attack, offering counseling
assistance to the victim. Ms. Fujiu indicated that the individual she talked
to, Mike Kearny, was somewhat dismissive and non-receptive toward her offer
of assistance to the victim. In a second call from the agency to your
department, Ms. Fujiu indicated that Sgt. DuFloth seemed more concerned and
indicated that he would pass along the offer of assistance to the victim. I
can understand that when crimes occur, your department must get many calls,
however, Ms. Fujiu was making a sincere offer and the Japanese American
Service Committee is a highly regarded agency with qualified counselors who
have the ability to provide culturally based services, a dimension that your
staff should have taken into account.

Finally, I am hopeful that you are working closely with the
multi-jurisdictional Task Force that has been created to deal with this
crime. It is my understanding that the Task Force meets regularly to
coordinate and share information and evidence as a mean of effectively
pursuing the offender.

As the Midwest Director of the Japanese American Citizens League, the oldest
and largest Asian American civil rights organization in the United States,
and as a member of the Illinois Asian American Hate Crime Network, we have a
strong interest to see that the offender is apprehended to put an end to the
fear that has overtaken a large segment of the Asian American community in
Arlington Heights and the adjoining communities. We hope it doesn’t take
continued attacks to arrest this offender.

Sincerely,

William J. Yoshino
Midwest Director
Japanese American Citizens League

cc: Jean Fujiu, Japanese American Service Committee
Vida Gosrisirikul, Asian American Bar Association
Tuyet Le, Asian American Institute
Joanna Su, Illinois Asian American Health Coalition