Open Letter: The Commander Who Lead by Example

Shomrim volunteer Mendy Hershkop wrote the following open letter in appreciation to outgoing Commanding Officer of the 71st Precinct, John Lewis:

Our Sages teach us that we only tell part of a man’s qualities in his presence, and all of them when he is not present.  In the last year and a half, our community has had the good fortune and honor to have Deputy Inspector John Lewis serve as the commanding officer of the 71Pct. I know that a few paragraphs won’t do justice to the contributions and accomplishments of Inspector Lewis, but perhaps I will be able to share with you a few anecdotes that will show why he personified courtesy, professionalism, and respect.

During the 71Pct national night out, the Inspector was handing out NYPD hats to whoever wanted one. When two little children approached the Inspector and asked for hats, the Inspector told them that he ran out of hats but he promised them that in the next couple of days he will get them their hats. He took down their information and the children went on their way.  Within a couple of days the Inspector made contact with the children and their families and gave them their hats, making their day!  The parents of the children remarked to Shomrim coordinator Gadi Hershkop about how sincere the Inspector was and how impressed they were with how quick he was to make good on a promise he made to their children.

During his tenure here in the 71Pct, people would regularly approach me and tell me that they met the new “captain” or Inspector, and they all got the vibe that he really listened to what they had to say and always had an insightful response.  He always treated everyone with respect and never gave anyone the feeling that he/she was unimportant.

Early one summer morning (2:00am), a Shomrim volunteer on patrol noticed an individual looking into and trying the doors of every vehicle on Lefferts Ave.  The volunteer requested additional volunteers to help him observe the suspicious individual.  A perimeter was setup and sure enough this suspicious person broke into a vehicle.  911 was immediately called as shomrim continued to monitor the perpetrator.  Within two minutes, Inspector Lewis and Lt. Weiss arrived and arrested the perpetrator seconds after he exited the vehicle.  The Inspector asked the seven Shomrim volunteers to remain on scene for a few minutes until he returned. About 15 minutes later, he arrived and personally thanked each and every volunteer for their time and effort!  He told them that this particular perpetrator was wanted for a string of burglaries in our area.  He then turned to me and said: “You have my number, why didn’t you call me?”  I answered, “It’s almost three in the morning!  I’m not calling you at such an hour?!”  He said: “At least text me.  I want to know.  If I’m up, I will call you back.”

Inspector Lewis is a leader that leads by being a living example of what he expects from everyone else.  He always means what he says and says what he means.  He would never tell you or commit to something he wouldn’t deliver on.  He was always thankful when someone did a job well done.  Every missing child that was found, every perpetrator arrested, he was quick to thank us and encourage our great work. When we asked a question or his opinion on a matter, we always felt he would answer us what he believed was best for us.  The tenacity with which he fought crime was contagious to all around him, and he changed the atmosphere in the precinct and in the community to a positive one.  During his predecessor’s tenure there was a very negative aura between the community and the 71 Pct.  Crimes were being dismissed, reports not filed and incompetence seemed to prevail.  Inspector Lewis changed all this to a positive vibrant relationship with our community and Shomrim.  Under his command, aside from rare incidents, the community only had positive interactions with our Pct.  I once remarked to him that as an Inspector he is very active on the streets, his response was “if people don’t know who you are, how can they trust you?”  It was this trust that the Inspector, along with our wonderful captains, lieutenants, sergeants, and community affairs team so eloquently brought back.

During my first conversation I had with Inspector Lewis, shortly after he arrived in the 71Pct, we discussed an array of subjects.  Through the course of our conversation, he said a line which resonates with me till today: “In my entire career/life, I have never done the popular thing, I have done the right thing!” and he said it so humbly!

This is just a tidbit of a great Inspector, a great friend, and most importantly a great person!  May G-d grant him much success in his upcoming endeavors.  May G-d keep him safe and may he grant him and his family lots of happiness, health and prosperity, Amen!

Mendy Hershkop
Crown Heights Shomrim