Abrahamson Wins P.A.L. Competition Second Time!

CROWN HEIGHTS, Brooklyn [CHI] — For the second year running, 17-year-old Yosef Abrahamson, a student in Yeshiva Darchai Menachem, entered the Police Athletic League essay competitio. He won the ‘Commanding Officer of the 71st Precinct Award’ for the essay he wrote on Gangs and Interpersonal Violence.

At the ceremony this morning in One Police Plaza all the winners were awarded a plaque in honor of their achievements. Administrator and teacher Rabbi Chaim Perl said “we are very proud of Yosef, and we wish him much luck,” Yosef is graduating YDM this year.


Yosef was recognized by Officers and Media from his participation in last year’s competition.

If I Were Police Commissioner for A Day

by Yosef Abrahamson – Yeshiva Darchai Menachem

If I were Police Commissioner for a day, my approach to “Gangs and Interpersonal Violence” would be a get tough, all out war on gangs and violence, and to develop a long range program to prevent interpersonal violence and the lure of youths to gangs.

I would look at and treat gangs as they are; organized crime syndicates, today’s version of the Mafia.

After increasing our partnerships with the FBI, other federal agencies and prosecutors I would create a “Department of Hometown Security” this department would be experts in fighting gangs and would coordinate and collaborate with the federal agencies, state patrol, probation officials and police.

The first initiative I would implement with the Department of Hometown Security would be to enforce RICO (Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations act enacted October 15, 1970)

By using RICO we will be able to arrest and convict multiple gang members for their connection to the gang and crimes their colleagues have committed, they can be charged with racketeering by committing any two acts, which could be gambling, murder, kidnapping, arson, robbery, bribery, extortion, dealing in obscene matter, or dealing in a controlled substance and because many gang members go from State to State their cases can be tried in a federal court where the sentences are tougher with no parole.

Probation and police officers would began to make regular “Spot Checks” unannounced visits to homes, schools and work places of gang members on probation to make sure they are in compliance with the terms of their probation, the visits are to send a strong signal we are serious and are not going away.

Officials would meet with gang members to make clear that zero tolerance has been implemented and activities such as; graffiti, truancy, noise, public drinking, motor vehicle violations, loitering; all will be vigorously enforced as a way to stop gang activity, and to send a strong message that if you are caught organizing or being involved in gang activity you will go to jail for a long, long, time.
Interpersonal violence like, domestic violence, sexual abuse, child abuse, disgruntled employees and students, racial and religious prejudices, bias, school yard bullying and gang violence is a plague running rampant through our communities.

As police commissioner I believe we must take tough fair and consistent action against those that commit violent crime, I also believe we need to have an effective, long range plan in prevention and intervention by developing partnerships with community organizations, probation officers, places of worship, businesses, schools and parents in a coordinated joint effort with the police.

My initiatives would place a lot of focus on early childhood education where from an early age children are taught how to behave and how to resolve conflicts with each other. For older school children; problem solving techniques, mediation and conflict resolution taught by police, probation officers, mental health professionals and clergy should be a mandatory class taken every year and a requirement for graduation.
Because a lot of interpersonal violence is seen, learned and experienced in the home, schools would be asked to include a class in the students graduating year in parenting skills as would be community organizations, places of worship, military, prison re-entry programs and even places of business so individuals, employees, couples and families can acquire these skills as well.

When I was younger I participated in a after school program where I learned professional ice skating , and today I look for mentoring opportunities in civics, these activities give me something to do and creates friendships with kids who share the same interest as I do, so not only would I encourage and seek funding for after school programs, I would also recruit businesses, clergy, city and state officials to become involved with mentoring, job and trade training, and real life internships teaching leadership skills for youths looking for a way out.

Ultimately, I think because of where we are at in this time of society all citizens, including the police commissioner have to be involved in making sure individuals are learning tools to help them make the right decisions when faced with interpersonal violence and conflict, the individual on the other hand must choose either to walk away, resort to violence or solve their differences; they are the ones that will have to recognize that conflict does not have to lead to violence and if it does there are stiff penalties.