New York – OpEd: My Badge Number is 452, Rabbi Where Is Yours?

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    New York – “Officer, what’s your badge number?”

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    I’ve been asked that question countless times over the last 26 years. Almost always, it followed an unpopular decision. Always, it was accompanied by an unspoken message: “I’m letting you know I will hold you accountable for this decision.”

    And always, I answer that question in a direct, simple way: I give my badge number.

    In fact, I’ve shared the right answer to this question with hundreds, if not thousands, of subordinates over the years.

    After all, correct decisions may be unpopular, but that doesn’t mean they’re wrong. So, I’ve found that my deft response to that question – mandated by NYPD policy – also helps me convey the unspoken message that I welcome scrutiny of my actions. The specter of being held accountable, by anyone, not only doesn’t threaten my self-image but it has always been part and parcel of my day-to-day values – an embedded value.

    Accountability for one’s actions came to mind as I read a flyer full of bluster and threats that was recently circulated in Lakewood, NJ against a hitherto respected rabbi. His crime? He chose to report the sexual abuse of his son to the police.

    Let me not digress. It is lamentable that our community still pounces on parents who seek to protect their children and our community from dangerous predators, but not the focus of this discussion.

    Rather, I am particularly irked by the letter writer’s request that his reading public, “excuse [him] for not signing this letter.” After all, he writes, the victim of his polemics may seek to have him prosecuted. Aveira goreres aveira (sin begets more sin), we are told. So, readers are asked to understand how necessary and proper his cloak of invisibility is – a selfless act of self-preservation.

    Not to me it isn’t.


    Read the full editorial at The Jewish Star


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    61 Comments
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    Anonymous
    Anonymous
    13 years ago

    Beautifully written article. Kol Hakavod to the Captain!

    Anonymous
    Anonymous
    13 years ago

    Thank you for your incredibly well-written article! Kol hakovod for standing up for the true Torah values and opposing the thuggery, hidden under the false front of piety.

    Orth Marc in St. Louis
    Orth Marc in St. Louis
    13 years ago

    This seems very straightforward. I would welcome someone who would try to unemotionally, and authoritatively counter it.

    Anonymous
    Anonymous
    13 years ago

    Interesting how he trys to blame “Lakewood” for one flyer printed annonomously, let’s hear now from all the haters of tora studier’s..

    Anonymous
    Anonymous
    13 years ago

    He was afraid of being prossecuted in secular courts, the laws of the Torah and the laws of the state of Nj are different hence the annomoty

    Anonymous
    Anonymous
    13 years ago

    A very well written article. And once again if anyone dares to agree with this type of article we will be condemend and called jew haters, people against the torah, people against rabanim, people against leaders and all the other crazy stuff that can get thrown out there.

    shmiel glassman
    shmiel glassman
    13 years ago

    some good points in the article but
    lets see how many bloggers will commend this article anonomysly!!!!!!!!!!!
    transparency & accountability by whom & to whom is the question???
    leaders having to publicly defend klal decisions to the masses is a no win situation & i believe not a torah concept , halachic decisions have teshuvos explaining the psak
    any reasonable person wishing to clarify a hashkafa topic can easily walk over to a godol after davening or at a wedding & say ” yelamdeinu rabeinu” & almost always get a response
    one final point : the molesting issue is an emotionaly charged one with numerous ramifications , NO ONE has a plan worked out – & it will probaly take some time anyone seeing the big pic knows that locking up one here & there is not the big solution ( in that starving child case in yerushalayi with the best of intentions what did the isreali ACS gain ( it lost 20 yrs of building trust & inroads in the yerushalmi comm.) how many more will be deprived ” soif maaseh bemachshava techila “

    QSCL
    QSCL
    13 years ago

    Captain, Thank You for all your efforts on behalf of those who don’t yet have the courage to do so for themselves. Together with Ben Hersh, you guys are chipping away at the core issue. May you guys be zoche to see the fruit of your labor, with the bringing of mashiach.

    Anonymous
    Anonymous
    13 years ago

    We need more Jews like you. Jews who aren’t afraid to work and to speak up against tyrany.

    Anonymous
    Anonymous
    13 years ago

    I am pleased to read this. It represents one of the few advocates that is appropriately passionate about the cause, in full recognition of how little is being accomplished, yet remains respectful of gedolim and community leaders. There is nothing wrong with begging them to pay attention, even pointing out that the past was irresponsible. The disgrace that one usually hears and reads in the otherwise legitimate beseeching for action is B”H absent from this op-ed. Congratulation. Maybe the message will be heard.

    Anonymous
    Anonymous
    13 years ago

    Everyone should click through to The Star and read the whole article, then print the article and take it to your rabbi and ask if he would be willing to openly support victims of abuse. We as a society have to stop sheltering the worst criminals and further hurting victims. The current situation is like Sedom.

    Down with abusers
    Down with abusers
    13 years ago

    Excellent. On the money. The perps shoudl be thrown behind bars for a looooong time and not be allowed to threaten others.

    Anonymous
    Anonymous
    13 years ago

    Pretty stupid article. Keep busy with your police dutys don’t get involved in other towns politics

    5T lawyer
    5T lawyer
    13 years ago

    What’s the cheeduush? Giving your ID is not only civil and moral but the law. Wanna know my number, go to the office of court administration and it is listed there. Voos is der meilah dooo.

    Anonymous
    Anonymous
    13 years ago

    Thank you & kudos to you Captain Susnowik. If only we had more people like you who hold respectable positions & take the time & assume the responsibility of boldly addressing what so desperately needs to be (with such superb writing ability).
    It is an immensely sad state of affairs when, even after great strides have been made against those who grievously hurt our precious children, some communities still – if only by failing to act – effectively protect these predators. It is appalling that a community, known and looked up to throughout the world as one of the greatest of Torah communities, should not have at this point promulgated that the correct and only way to deal with these criminals is by letting the Dina d’Malchusa handle it.
    True, no legal system is without flaws but if the past few decades has taught us anything on this subject it is that we, the Orthodox Jewish community, have failed miserably by protecting the predators (to the point of aiding & abetting) when all along we should have desperately been protecting our children. The devastation wrought on the lives of the abused children (and their families) is now well documented.
    HaBa L’hargach Hashkem V’Hargoi

    passaic mom
    passaic mom
    13 years ago

    A few days ago my son came home telling me that some yeshivah boys got into a fight that was not physical and one of the partys decided to be a wise guy and called the local police and reported a drive by asault these boys were pulled over by 5 cars frisked searched and a police report was filed. this is all because some stupid coward bochur cant fight his own fights and needs to call the police for revenge and caused yeshivah guys to start a rap sheet . but as far as sexual abuse all the people who oppose calling the police im willing to put down my life savings that he tryed to visit ay least a dozen “rabonim” who did absolutly notihng

    sasregener
    sasregener
    13 years ago

    Daniel whom i know for 30 years is an honest and forthright no shtick type of person.He his a very straight temimos frum person. I hope all read and take to heart what he writes. It is totally Emes. By the way Daniel I can’t wait to hear your Megillah reading again this purim. Much hatzlocho to you and your family. We are proud of you and Ben whom I also know extremely well

    Anonymous
    Anonymous
    13 years ago

    This article should be written in the New York Times, Post, LA Times, Boston Globe so that more people and authorities are aware of the internal crisis with in the frum Jewish communities that are bent on protecting vicious abusers and intimidate parents and victims so that they stay silent and don’t seek real help and justice that can only come from the government courts and not rabbis who just give a slap on the wrist. If there is more national media exposure to this dirty secret, maybe then the leaders of the frum world will be embarrassed enough to once again start being “light on to nations” by openly confronting this crisis and protecting their children from molesters like everyone else in this country except the catholic church.

    anon101
    anon101
    13 years ago

    with all due respect to the police capt im actually quite surprised that one involved in law enforcement would write an article based on seeing a flier without examining all the evidence pretainting to the case
    im a bit familiar with this particular case this case isnt simple at all
    their werent any witnesses, the boy is a kid at risk and has his own baggage isnt at all trust worthy or innocent being invloved with ..etc
    came out with the accusations 2 years later after being exposed to the world of kids at risk and all that entails, had personal gripes and issues with this particular teacher and in the court of public opinion was found guilty before anything due to his last name(and coming from the same family as a convicted) being the same as a convicted sexual child abuser.
    being that this case wasnt at all clear but rather its one persons word against another the askonim in the community as well as the mashgiach felt it should be dealt with “inhouse” rather then go to arkoes the option to go to court is always their to be used at a future time. one doesnt and shouldnt run to court if one can take care of matters at a beis din

    WBZeidi
    WBZeidi
    13 years ago

    The cat is out of the bag – we now all know about the abuse issue – we know it is in the community and more and more brave people will report it. The 19th century is over

    anon102
    anon102
    13 years ago

    to drag someone into court with these extremley serious charges based on ones troubled sons accusations should raise eyebrows this was the reason why these posters were being spread around town as written in the previous post this case wasnt and isnt clear cut and someone who sent out a text mixing into this case is now facing 5 years for witness tampering so of course you wouldnt sign a letter against this parent or youll face 5 years as well
    the askonim arent ignoring the abused nor pushing the issue under the rug as evidenced in other cases in lakwewood where the same askonim came out against the accused though the courts found him not guilty

    Anonymous
    Anonymous
    13 years ago

    Look, it’s very simple. If you knew the family accusing, you would have definate reason to doubt the validity of the claim. That does not mean that they are against ever going to the cops. Just in this specific case there is reason for skepticism. All of you who don’t know the kid and the family, assume it is just another case of covering up. It is simply not so.

    Rockland PhD
    Rockland PhD
    13 years ago

    Thank you. If reading this helped just one child, you can sleep well tonight. I have had three new cases just this week of abuse from our community. It must stop and it must stop today.

    Mark Kaplan HIDEC
    Mark Kaplan HIDEC
    13 years ago

    This man is taking advantage of your ignorance. He is in charge of Exec Dev, which just means that he schedules trainings for other Police Officers. He has the rank of Captain bc Police are paramilitary; they use “Army Time” and give rank to all employees (a Chaplain, for instance, is automatically a Captain coming in w/ a Yeshiva degree). He has never done any beat work, never participated in an investigation, and has had several complaints lodged against him (I also called the CRB) by members of his own community. Also, as an Officer of the Law with his rank, he is treading on thin ice by writing an Op-Ed which may or may not be the official opinion of Police Plaza.

    Concerned (and former victim)
    Concerned (and former victim)
    13 years ago

    Thank you for shedding even more light on this horror in our community.
    Lets not forget another reason that the letter writer is likely to be anonymous. Molesters themselves are at the forefront of the opposition to anything that might put a stop to their easy access to our children.
    Dont forget that those who do molest will do everything in their power to deny the problem and to cast questions on the victim.
    Those that would throw mud at the honorable Captain or others who speak out stay anonymous because if they sign their names their victims may stand up and call them out.

    Anonymous
    Anonymous
    13 years ago

    Any child who is molested might become at risk or go off the derech if the accused is not only not punished but defended. If cholila it was your child, what would YOU do?

    Eli
    Eli
    13 years ago

    Can you imagine the chilul hashem when police see such flyers attacking a man who reported a potential child molester? Why are some frum people not worried about these chilul hashems but do worry that a billboard on route 17 that encourages parents to protect thier children from molestors is a chilul hashem?