By Lindsay Peyton

There’s no job too big or too small for Community Service Officer Peter Truong with King County Sherriff’s Office. 

Stationed in his office in the White Center police storefront, 1521 SW 102 St, Truong is ready to tackle whatever task comes his way. 

Basically, he is charged with keeping an eye on White Center. His job description could include anything from helping victims of domestic violence and counseling the parents of a child in a gang or addicted to narcotics to mediating rental disagreements, aiding a motorist in need or participating in a community outreach program. 

“As a community service officer, we have more time to educate people,” he said. “Other officers have to get in there, get the paper work done and go. We have more opportunities to talk to families and help.” 

In essence, Truong is part policeman and part social worker. 

In addition, Truong often serves as a translator, since he speaks English, Vietnamese, French, Chinese and some Cambodian. He has been called to help with other departments when they need his language skills. 

“Sometimes I go with the DEA, the FBI or the postal inspector,” Truong said. “I’m running everywhere. People love to see an officer who can speak their language.”

When not at work, he volunteers around the community. For instance, he serves as an usher for the Sunday morning mass at St. Francis Catholic Church in Burien and remains active in the U.S Air Force Volunteer Reserve. 

In addition, Truong is a security advisor for three Catholic churches and three Buddhist temples in Seattle and remains active in different Chinese and Vietnamese communities.

His cell phone is constantly ringing. “They don’t call me only when I’m on duty,” he said. “My cell phone is on 24/7.  They call me at home, and I do whatever I can. Even on vacation, I still answer.”

His supervisor Sgt. Rik Oroshiba said Truong is a leader in the precinct. 

“Community Service Officer Truong is exceptional at his job and enjoys his work,” Oroshiba said. “He is very self-motivated and takes pride in his work.”

Oroshiba said that Truong is the “go to person” for a number of communities in the White Center region and has a far-reaching impact. 

“Peter is invaluable to the department and community as a whole,” he said. “I cannot think of any other person within the Sherriff’s Office that can do what he does on a daily basis. He is someone that cannot be replaced.”

Truong came to America in 1975 as a refugee, settling in Spokane after a state patrolman sponsored him. 

He then moved to Idaho, where he attended classes at North Idaho College, while working as a dishwasher and then a cook. 

He earned a degree in business management and eventually opened his own restaurant called Hong Kong in Coeur d’Alene, which expanded to a second location. 

He became an American citizen in 1980.

His wife Jacque, who was working as an elementary school teacher, grew tired of the long hours and the time Truong spent away from her and their two children. 

“She said, ‘You never come home; you work too late,”” Truong recalled. “I spent too much time on my business. My wife said, ‘Do you ever think of selling the restaurant?’”

He agreed to try a career change and applied for a position near Seattle, as Community Service Officer for King County Sherriff’s Office. The pilot program started in 1988, and Truong was one of the first recruits. 

“There were 372 applicants, and they were only hiring four people,” Truong said. “I was just fooling around. I thought they’d never hire me. A month later, they called.”

He got the job and moved his young family to West Seattle. “This was an opportunity to serve the people,” Truong said. “I love to serve people and to make a difference.”

Eventually, his family moved to White Center to be closer to work. 

While Truong enjoys his job today, he admitted things have not always been that way. When he first joined the force, the taunting was almost too much to take.

“It was really difficult in the beginning as a minority,” he said. “I planned to quit three times. My wife encouraged me to stay.”

Eventually, he told his commander that other team members were calling him names, being aggressive and using racial slurs. 

Truong said that he had felt unwelcomed in the U.S. for some time since he was an immigrant. “I wanted to be independent, to let people know that I’m not here to steal your job,” he said. “I’m going to pay taxes. I’m going to create jobs.”

And that’s exactly what he did.

Truong also sponsored 11 other Vietnamese refugees. He was one of the founders of an organization helping homeless children in his homeland. Whenever Catholic priests and nuns visit Seattle from Vietnam, he provides housing, food and transportation. When he owned his restaurants, he would feed homeless from his kitchens after hours.

He struggled to be treated with such disrespect by his fellow officers when he started in his post. 

After all, Truong had served as an officer and helicopter pilot in the Vietnamese army, in addition to being a business owner. 

Luckily, he pushed for improvements in the department. “The commander said, ‘Stay here and I’ll take care of it,’” Truong recalled. “Things changed.”

Now he said his colleagues treat him with the upmost respect. “The officers are like my brothers and sisters,” he said. “It’s so much better than 30 years ago.”

The job remains challenging in other ways. There have been times when Truong was attacked, assaulted and even shot. A lot of difficult moments pop up when dealing with domestic violence, families in crisis and helping an ever-growing and changing neighborhood. 

Truong, however, is up for the challenge. 

He is especially looking forward to having Mitzi Johanknecht as King County Sheriff. “I really respect her,” he said. “I’ve worked with her for 30 years, and I think she’ll be wonderful. I’m proud to work with her.”

Being proactive and positive is one lesson he wants to pass on to others in the community. “Don’t take it for granted,” he said. “Be appreciative instead. You see an opportunity, you grab it.”

After all, that principle has been a guiding force for Truong. “The American people have such big hearts,” he said. “They’re willing to share. You saved me here. You gave me an opportunity, and I’m going to do whatever I can to pay you back.”