MEDIA

It was 1983 when Sophal Sem arrived at San Francisco International Airport with his mom, two brothers, and two sisters. They had come from Cambodia, living in seven different refugee camps after fleeing the Khmer Rouge, a communist party that seized control after a coup in 1975 and murdered Sophal’s father when he was 10 months old.

“The Khmer Rouge imprisoned us in their labor concentration camp,” said Sophal. “We never knew if we were going to live or die at any given moment. We took an opportunity to escape when a battle broke out near that camp. My mother’s faith, mental and physical strength, brought us halfway around the world for a better life.”

Today, Sophal remains in San Francisco as a CSO. It was on the day he exited the plane in San Francisco that his journey to law enforcement first began with a simple act—an officer handed him a coat. “Coming from a tropical environment, it was the coldest day I had ever experienced,” said Sophal. His lifelong dream of becoming an officer and helping others took shape.

His journey towards his dream took a different path while he was in college. He trained to teach middle school, which he did from 1997 to 2000. “Teaching is an honorable profession, but it was not my calling,” explained Sophal.

In 2000, Sophal joined the Oakland Police Department, serving for 17 years. He was promoted to Sergeant of Police in 2010 and was awarded two Captain Accommodations for high-profile arrests, the Stolen Vehicle Recovery Ribbon, and an Outstanding Performance Evaluation Ribbon. He also obtained his Advanced Police Officer Standards and Training (POST) Certification.

After his retirement, he took a year off before becoming a Welfare Fraud Investigator. It was then in 2021 that he became a Court Security Officer, with Walden Security taking over his courthouse’s contract in 2023.

“The greatest thing about being a CSO is that it is a continuation of law enforcement,” said Sophal. “We are not patrolling the streets, but we can remain committed to our ideal of protecting and serving the community. For me, that sentiment and opportunity to serve is the biggest accomplishment of my career in and of itself. Being a CSO is the second–or even third–chapter for us who commit to a life of service.”

Sophal’s commitment to service continues to shine in his work as CSO. He was awarded Court Security Officer of the Year (CSOY) in 2024 for his work saving a life after a medical emergency, which included contributions from his teammates: CSOs Mitchell Mana, Rich Persson and Robby Chon.

Sophal heard a loud thump behind him and turned to see an individual drop their suitcase and, while attempting to retrieve the briefcase, collapse on the floor. Sophal tried to talk to them, but they were unresponsive and bleeding. He called for assistance, turned the individual into the recovery position, and ordered the CSOs to lock down the entry points until the emergency was over.

The individual then started shaking like they were having a seizure and stopped breathing. Sophal retrieved an Automated External Defibrillator and attempted to resuscitate them. That was unsuccessful. CSO Mitchell Mana, a certified CPR instructor, responded to his location and began chest compressions, while CSO Robby Chon helped support the individual's head as they were shaking. Both Sophal and Mitchell Mana, along with responding CSO Rich Persson, took turns performing chest compressions until EMS arrived. Without the quick actions of Sophal and his teammates, or if the individual had collapsed anywhere else, they would have likely died.

“I am honored and humbled to be a part of this great team of CSOs,” said Sophal on being awarded CSOY. “I am only a piece of a puzzle in the greater mass, and I am only as good as my teammates. We each assumed our roles in the incident and knew what had to be done to save their life.”

To honor that sentiment, Sophal shared his Officer of the Year monetary prize with his teammates, who assisted during the incident.

Every day is a blessing for Sophal, and he continues to protect his courthouse and community with a smile on his face. “Many people ask me why I am always smiling,” said Sophal. “My answer is always the same. If you had walked two feet in my shoes, you would understand why I smile. Waking up every day is a blessing.”