Posted to Crown Heights News on May 21 2008

What If You Were the Police Commissioner…


Yosef Abrahamson, (Lower Left) listens intently to a Chasidus lesson in YDM

CROWN HEIGHTS, Brooklyn [CHI] — In the wake of resent attacks on our community, Officer Vinie Martinos of the 71st Precinct Community Policing Unit, turned to the Jewish community for their input in the Police Athletic League essay competition. The competition is open to all the public and private high schools around the entire New York City.

Entitled: if you were police commissioner for a day, what steps would you take to reduce violent crime and protect all new yorkers? Yosef Abrahamson a student at Darchai Menachem took on the challenge.

Yesterday, Tuesday, Yosef essay was one of the essays picked. We have obtained a copy of his Essay. It is a must read, even from the mouth of a 16 year old, his words and message is strong and clear.

If I Were Police Commissioner For A Day
By Yosef Abrahamson age 16

To reduce crime and protect all New Yorkers if I were Police Commissioner for one day, I would take the approach of the Big Picture scheme, what policy I institute today will in the long run consistently applied is going to create a society free of crime.

Effective immediately I would put forth a statewide order to begin a policy of Pro-Active Policing, rather than Community Policing, Pro-Active Policing pays attention to the lesser crimes and makes them just as important as the more violent crimes, treating them as though they were the larger more serious, visible crimes, so that those who commit petty crime don't get away with the small stuff - breaking and entering, car theft, petty robbery, loud car radios, rowdy disorderly teenagers, panhandling, loud mufflers, running yellow lights, etc. Ticket them, tow them, arrest them - - because if you ignore them in the name of spending all the resources fighting crime like murder, etc, the group of criminals gets bigger and better and moves from small, ignored crime to all the bigger and more serious crime. It is not mean spirited or harsh - - we need to pay more attention to the people who are law abiding and want to be safe and respectful, instead of coddling the law breakers, being community policers, saying to these petty law breakers that we want them to listen to us, behave and be nice and don't do that again, and now run along, - - - and they keep breaking the law, because they feel that they can get away with it. Community Policing is the reason we have such an increase in violent crime, because we let the base of the number of petty criminals grow unchecked. Jail works. Law and Order must be firm, clear and the penalty for doing crime, swift and certain. Most crime is thought crime - - it is planned, so society must assert a planned penalty.

I would hold meetings with my Deputy Commissioners, Bureau Chiefs, Patrol Borough Commanders, and Precinct Commanders reviewing our selection, training and supervision of our officers, discussing ways of making sure they have a clear sense of their authority and that along with questioning, apprehending and arresting perpetrators it includes regulating behavior, protecting communities and individuals, pointing out a few bad incidents have happened , however reassuring them they ultimately are the keys to law and order, and in most cases their presence really gives a feeling of safety. On the agenda would be a review of the placements of high tech surveillance equipment in areas, making sure we have no gaps.

I would round up the day with a meeting with the press to release the events of the day, and to send a strong message assuring the citizens and visitors of New York we will live in a just, safe, and civilized community and to send an even stronger message to inform all those that break laws we will immediately began a motivated agenda and unless they correct their behavior they will definitely be going to jail.


The letter Yosef received, letting him know he won.



Click Here to Enlarge the Letter!