ORANGE IS THE NEW BLACK

Can Orange is the New Black, the new weekly comedy-drama television series, focused on the American criminal justice and prison system, do something that no one has ever been able to do before? 

For the sake of our economy, and our society as a whole, I sure hope so. http://www.ign.com/articles/2013/07/30/orange-is-the-new-black-season-1-review

I read Piper Kerman’s book, Orange is the New Black, when it first came out and found it compelling, gut wrenching, and sad but true.

Given my experience in running Rikers Island and the NYPD, I have learned that you cannot fix a problem that you do not know exists. Given what I observed during my own incarceration, I am convinced that our legislators, courts, criminal justice administrators and the general public, have very little real insight, into something that has had, and continues to have such an negative impact on our children, economy and our country.

Hopefully, Orange is the New Black, will bring one of America’s most important issues, into the halls of Congress, and the living rooms of a general public, to give them a birds-eye-view of the collateral damage that prison and the criminal justice system can quite often have on families, children, the economy, and our society as a whole.

Bad people that do bad things belong in prison, and some, for a very long time. Some forever. But there are many first time, non-violent offenders sitting in prison, that could be punished by alternative sentencing, such as fines, probation, community service, and other methods, which would allow them to work, take care of their families, pay their fines and restitutions, and most importantly build a stronger bond with their children.

Justice would be served, and families could survive. The collateral cost of continuing down the road we’re on, will ultimately destroy generations of our youth to come, and our already dire economy.

Thank you Piper Kerman for your story, and to Netflix for having the foresight, and courage, to touch on a topic that NOT so many wish to discuss, or have the courage to do so.

Hopefully, in the course of your efforts, you can convince our legislators that inaction in criminal justice and prison reform is not as much soft on crime, as it is stupid on crime. 

Without it, our children and theirs, our economy, and our society as we know it, is doomed to failure.

DID WE WANT JUSTICE OR DIDN'T WE?

Last night, a jury consisting of six women in the State of Florida, found George Zimmerman, not guilty of a crime, in the shooting death of Trayvon Martin. 

The spectacle that has followed this tragedy from the time of the shooting, makes me wonder, if we as a country, haven't lost sight of what our founding fathers intended when they created the U.S. Constitution. 

The Martin family deserved answers concerning their son's death, and Zimmerman deserved an unbiased, fair, and impartial investigation into his actions. That's the way it all began, but it is not the way it ended. 

The Sanford Police conducted their investigation in conjunction with the local prosecutor's office, who concluded that the shooting of Trayvon Martin by George Zimmerman, although tragic, was done in self-defense, and no criminal charges were brought. 

By all accounts, the initial investigation of the shooting was thorough, fair, and conclusive, but for some in the media, that just wasn't enough, so they alleged that the real motive for the shooting was race, and within days after their focus on George Zimmerman and Trayvon Martin began, they turned one into a saint, and the other into a monster. Neither, was a fair, or even close representation.

Then came the appointment of a special prosecutor, who using the same evidence, charged George Zimmerman with second-degree murder, a conviction of which could have sent him to prison for the rest of his life. 

A truly objective onlooker would have to wonder, how could the two investigations have such different results. The truth of the matter is that it is not that difficult, when a prosecutor is motivated by politics and the media, and begins to infuse into the real evidence, their own personal conjecture and lopsided crime theories that can ultimately change the entire dynamic of the investigation.

The special prosecutor in this case claimed Zimmerman shot Martin because "he wanted to." They labeled Zimmerman a wannabe cop, claiming he followed Martin, after profiling him as a criminal. There was no evidence that that was the case, but they said it anyway, knowing it was a lie, and hoping that those words would win them a conviction.

That is not justice. 

Prosecutors are not supposed to break the laws to enforce them. They are not supposed to be driven by the press or media, or influenced by political parties or activists, but unfortunately some are. 

If a local, state or federal law enforcement officer got up on the witness stand, and lied to the court, or a jury, they would be charged with perjury, false statements or misconduct. Prosecutors should not be immune from those same standards and scrutiny, but unfortunately, for the Martin and Zimmerman families, they are.

In the end, the jury concluded what the initial investigation concluded - that the shooting of Martin, was not a crime.

The aftermath of the trial, is perhaps even more disturbing than the fact that Zimmerman was unjustly charged with a crime in the first place.

New York Giants wide receiver Victor Cruz tweeted, "Thoroughly confused. Zimmerman doesn't last a year before the hood catches up to him." 

Did we want justice, or did we not? Justice doesn't mean, you get the results you want or else! Justice should never be influenced by politics, the media or activism.  

The political and civil rights activists will not be happy until they have destroyed Zimmerman and his family. Eventually, he'll lose his job, home and life savings, if he hasn't already, and he'll be bankrupted by legal fees and law suits. His life will never be the same, and this is just the beginning of the torture and torment he will suffer forever. This is not justice.

The initial investigation by prosecutors and the Sanford Police Department, and the findings of the jury was justice. Everything else, was a charade, and anything further would be a travesty.

Enough is enough.

Once and for all we should live and abide by the Constitution that was created to protect us. Ignoring it, is doing nothing but tearing us apart, and destroying this great country.

HAPPY FATHER'S DAY!

There is no greater gift that God has given man, than the gift of children.

On this Father's Day, I think of my own father and the love and life he gave me, and I thank God for the children with which I have been blessed.

Happy Father Day!

FOR THE CHILDREN OF HEROES

On Friday, May 17, 2013, two FBI agents assigned to the FBI's elite Hostage Rescue Team died in a training accident off the coast of Virginia Beach, Virginia.

Special Agent Christopher Lorek, 41, left behind a wife and two daughters, ages 11 and 8; and Special Agent Stephen Shaw, 40, left behind a wife, a 3 year old daughter and 1 year old son.

To assist in the future education and needs for the children of these two heroes, The Lorek-Shaw Children's Fund has been established, and contributions can be made to:

The Lorek-Shaw Children's Fund - Account 231605
Justice Federal Credit Union
5175 Parkstone Drive
Chantilly, VA 20151

Their fathers died training to save the lives of others. Please send your thanks for their service and sacrifice, in the form of a contribution for the future of the children they left behind.

May God Bless them all.

"The Heartthrob and A Sad Mother's Day"

According to published reports, thousands of American teenage girls are "crushing” over the 19 year old Boston terrorist bomber, Dzhokhar (Jahar) Tsarnaev, and leading a social media movement to exonerate him.

As a parent, I cannot think of anything more sad, disappointing and disgusting.

What parent in their right mind would allow their children to make such sickening and insensitive comments, considering this sick and deranged terrorist, killed three people, and injured more than 200, including 13 that lost limbs?

These girls with their empty souls, and morally bankrupt skulls, are exactly why parents, educators, and our legislators should be championing and mandating the re-birth of civics in our children's classrooms.

Where are their basic respect, discipline and common sense of right or wrong? Where are their parents? Where are their mothers, on this Mother's Day?

There is one mother who is grieving the loss of her eight year old son, and who may need help tending to his grave site  There is another mother mourning the loss of her son, a police officer, who is sadly suffering the first Mother’s Day without him in her life. There are other mothers sitting in hospital bedsides, with their sons and daughters that were massacred in this heinous act of terror. There are bedpans to be emptied, and patients that need a helping hand to compensate for the one they lost, as a result their "cute" heartthrob terrorist.

Maybe these mindless teenage girls should be studying the history, the Pledge of Allegiance, or the U.S. Constitution, and learning how their stupidity is what risks the very freedom this great nation was founded.

This movement, and the comments made by these girls, raise some serious questions about their parents, and their educators, but most importantly... what is happening to our country? Mothers give life to, protect, nurture, and teach to form the hearts and minds of all children and citizens who are then entrusted to build the future of our great country. 

Today, on Mother’s Day, there’s proof their work is most vital and clearly never done.  

BETTER LATE, THAN NEVER

Forty years to the day, after Joanne Chesimard, a member of the Black Liberation Party, shot and killed New Jersey State Trooper Werner Foerster, she has earned her due, as the first woman to be placed on the FBI's list of most wanted terrorists.

Chesimard, who later changed her name to Assata Shakur, killed Foerster on May 2, 1973, during a traffic stop in New Brunswick on the New Jersey Turnpike. She was subsequently arrested, and convicted for his murder.

In 1979, she escaped from prison, hid out in Pennsylvania for a while, and a few years later, popped up in Cuba, where she has lived ever since.

Today, the FBI, and the State of New Jersey announced a reward of $2 million, for the capture of Chesimard.

For the New Jersey State Police, and those that remember the murder, and her escape, I suppose making that list today, is better late than never.

As for the $2 million reward, I know plenty of volunteers that would be more than glad to grab her, and bring her back where she belongs... reward or not!

OUR FIGHT BETWEEN GOOD AND EVIL

During this morning's cable news coverage of the unfolding events in Boston, a newspaper reporter, made every attempt to downplay the danger and threats to our country by "self-radicalized" terrorists, like the two identified Chechnyan suspects, of the Boston bombings, saying they weren't as dangerous as the 9/11 terrorists.

Tell that to the families of the three dead, the 13 amputees or the 170 wounded at the marathon bombing, or to the family of the MIT Police Officer that was killed last night!
Had these two terrorists walked into a crowded theater, secured the doors, and detonated similar devices as the ones they used at the marathon finish line, the death and devastation could have been catastrophic.

They have done it before. Islamic Chechnyan extremists, just like the ones involved in the Boston Marathon bombing, walked into a Russian movie theater, secured the doors, and slaughtered as many people as they could on the inside. I wonder if the families of those killed in that movie theater believe that the events of 9/11 was any worse of an attack than that, that took the lives of their loved ones.
I don't care where these two suspects were born, or how, why, and when they were radicalized; other than to identify possible accomplices or organizations with which that may have been affiliated and could still pose a threat to America.

You can say they're "self-radicalized," or call them Al-Qaeda, Chechnyan extremists, Hamas, Hezbollah, the Muslim Brotherhood, or a lone wolf. You can give them any title you wish, but the bottom line is that radical Islamic extremism is on the rise globally, and it is an enemy of the United States and other countries around the world that live in freedom.
To those extremists, any non-Muslim is their enemy, and that gives them the right of Jihad, a Holy War against that enemy.

That ideology is a threat to every American in this country, and until we come to the realization that that threat is a clear and present danger, our God given rights to live in peace and freedom is at stake.
As we watch the events in Boston unfold, please take a moment to extend your thoughts and prayers to the families of those killed and injured, and to the courageous local, state, and federal law enforcement officers, who are putting their lives on the line, in an historic battle between good and evil.

God Bless all of them, and God Bless America.

A WORLD OF REALITY

Anyone that is surprised by Monday's bombings at the Boston Marathon, have either been sleeping for the past 11 years, or they are still not living in a world of reality. The two successive explosions that left three dead, and  more than 180 wounded at the finish line of the marathon, is a reminder that the threats of terror against our citizens still exist, and that vigilance, and security planning and preparation, are a must.

Long before the attacks of September 11, 2001, New York City's police department, and other emergency service agencies, were probably the best in the world, at preparing for, and handling security operations for large scale events like the New York City Marathon, the New Year's Eve Celebration at Times Square, the Macy's Thanksgiving Day, and the Saint Patrick's Day Parades, and more.

In the aftermath of 9/11, came the realization, that New York City remains the premier target for terrorists, and that even New York City would have to do more, when it came to securing the city from the threats of terror.

Securing a marathon is not an easy task, but there are some basic precautionary measures that can be taken to secure this 26 mile soft target: Constant bombs sweeps of crowded, and high profile areas, trash receptacles and mail boxes must be removed, sewer and manhole covers must be secured, and people with back packs must be searched before being allowed into secure areas. Cops standing at the barriers have to watch the crowds and spectators for suspicious activity, not the runners, and technical and intelligent video coverage of high risk and highly populated areas are a must.

The two improvised explosive devices (IEDs) were replicas of those quite often used in India, Afghanistan and Pakistan: a pressure cooker or metal container, laden with explosives, and loaded with small pieces of metal shrapnel, such as nuts, bolts, ball bearings and nails, the same kind of stuff that a suicidal bomber builds into their explosive belts and vests. The detonator for these types of devices iseither attached timers, remote controls like your garage door and car door openers, or a cell phone. Law enforcement authorities need to consider jamming frequencies of high threat areas, or at least have the capability to do so in the event of a possible threat, or in a case like this, to possibly prevent the detonation of a secondary or tertiary IED.

On the same day of the Boston bombings, there were 25 bombings in Iraq, that left 67 dead, and 274 injured. Israel has been living with the threat of these types of attacks for years, and unfortunately, this too, has become the world we live in as Americans. Anyone that thinks otherwise, or doubts that reality, is delusional.

Law enforcement and first responders all over the country must be prepared to respond and react to threats like these, and they need to be funded for the training, equipment and the resources to do so.

Our political leadership needs to focus on their constituents, not their offices or their elections. This isn't about the right or left, or Republican or Democrat, and it has nothing to do with the damned sequester!This is about the security of our communities and our nation, and insuring that federal, state and local law enforcement, have what they need to do their jobs.

The American public needs to be educated. If you were walking down a street, or through a mall in Tel-Aviv, the site of an abandoned package, would set off immediate alarms, and a response by the authorities. People here are often oblivious to their surroundings. The days of minding your own business are over. If you see something or someone that appears suspicious, you need to notify the police, and let them do their job. The security of our communities and of our country depends on it.

It is way too early to tell who is responsible for this cowardly attack, and our thirst for answers only creates guessing and speculation which serves no real purpose. However, there are a few things of which I am positive.

First, the Boston Police, and first responders showed determination, courage and valor, in their response to, and handling of this tragic event. Even after the second IED was detonated, knowing there could be more devices, theystill ran toward the explosions to assist and evacuate the dead and injured.

Boston will recover stronger than ever, and every American will unite behind them, as only Americans do. And lastly, I couldn't agree more with President Barack Obama when he said that we will find those responsible for this attack, and bring them to justice.

There is no where they can run, or hide. We will hunt them down, and demonstrate to the world, that they will never get away with attacking our citizens, or this great nation.

And this is a reality that they can count on.

BERNARD B. KERIK

CHIEF JOSEPH ESPOSITO

This afternoon, the New York City Police Department's Chief of Department, Joseph Esposito, walked out of One Police Plaza, for the last time as chief, as he retired after 44 years with the department.

Two days after I was appointed police commissioner in August 2000, I called then Assistant Chief Esposito to my office to discuss his future with the NYPD. As a two star assistant chief, he was a borough commander in Brooklyn, and one of the most decorated and respected chiefs in the agency.
I told him that I was looking for someone to replace Joseph Dunne, the department's former chief, who had been promoted to my first deputy. I told him that I wanted a chief of department that the men and women in the department respected, that would lead by example, and who could help me continue to reduce crime, enhance community relations, and that could bolster the morale of the men and women in the field.

For the first few minutes of our conversation, he thought I was asking for his recommendation. I was not.

"Do you want it?" I asked.

Two days later, on the morning of August 25, 2000, he was sworn in as the New York City Police Department's  Chief of Department - the highest ranking uniform member of the agency.
I told him that morning, that he would be the best chief, the department had ever seen, and he has easily lived up to my expectations.

Joe Esposito will go down in New York City's history, as not only the longest reigning chief, and most decorated; but without a doubt, the best there has ever been.
My wife Hala and I, wish him and his family all the best.

May God Bless them always.

BERNARD B. KERIK

DEATH OF MAN'S BEST FRIEND

 

In the spring of 1975, I was introduced to my new partner.
I was a U.S. Army military police officer, and he was a four year old German Shepherd, with which I would ultimately patrol and secure, one of our government s nuclear missile batteries, in Sak Sa Ni, South Korea.

With his army serial number, Y102, tattooed on the inside of his right ear, he stood on the inside of his kennel, staring and growling at me, as if I were the enemy. My sergeant said, "have a seat right there in front of him, feed him some meat and cheese every so often, and eventually he'll allow you in the kennel, so you can take him out for a walk."
Well, it wasn't as easy as it sounded. King was a sentry dog, one of the most aggressive types of working dogs in the U.S. armed forces. Their training consisted of basic obedience, agitation, and extremely aggressive attack work. They were not trained for socializing as police patrol dogs or house pets. They were trained to alert on intruders, attack them, and rip them to shreds, and King was quite good at his job.

Given that sentry dogs, were "one handler" dogs, his prior handler had left Korea to return to the United States, and I was to be his new partner and handler. That was if, he allowed me.
Over the next few days, he ate tons of treats, and I got closer to my new pal. And, once I got up the nerve to take him out of the kennel, we became one; A partnership, closer than most people would understand.

He was a stunning black and tan German Shepherd, and he looked just like Rin Tin Tin, another German Shepherd with U.S. Army roots. Rin Tin Tin, or Rinty as he was called, was found as a small pup in Lorrain, France, by U.S. Air Corporal, Lee Duncan, back in 1918, during World War I. He was eventually brought back to the U.S.. where he died at in 1932, but not before leaving a bloodline that wound up in a weekly TV adventure between 1954 and 1959, that every kid at the time, including me, loved and admired. It was he I thought of, when I first met, and began working with King.
King would respond to my voice, my hand commands, or to a look, or a movement. I didn't have to say a word, but he knew what I was thinking and why. With me, he was playful and loving, but with anyone else, he was deadly. He had no fear and he had no hesitation. If he perceived a threat, he dealt with it the way he knew how, and you didn't want to be on the receiving end.
In 1976, I left Korea, and I left King to a new handler. In the past 35 years, I have thought of him often.

Since then I have had many dogs, most recently, Duke and Duchess. Both German Shepherds, both trained like King, and playful, loving and caring members of my family. Both enormously protective.
For someone that has never had a dog, or a pet of any kind, it is difficult to understand, how close you can become to an animal. In June 2011, Duke passed away, and there are no words to explain how horrible that loss was, for me and my family. He is sadly missed, which is why I felt compelled to write about the recent loss of another German Shepherd.
His name was Ape, and he was 2 years and 4 months old, and had been on active duty for the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) for just over two weeks.
Two days ago, he was shot and killed by a deranged gunman, who had already shot and killed four people in Herkimer, New York.

Ape was a tactical dog, much like the one that accompanied the U.S. Navy SEALS on the raid that resulted in the death of Osama Bin Laden. Equipped with a camera, he entered an abandoned bar in the small upstate New York town, with and FBI assault team behind him, in search for the murder suspect. As he breached the door, he was shot in the chest by the gunman, who was then shot and killed by the FBI.

Ape was transported to a local veterinarian, where he died from his wounds. He was later transported to FBI Headquarters, where he will be buried, and his name will be added to a memorial for dogs killed in the line of duty.

As someone who trained dogs for more than 30 years, I know that Ape died doing something he loved doing. It was what he was trained to do, and although it cost him his life, he saved the lives of his handler and teammates, which could have been killed or seriously hurt.

Dating back to the days of Rin Tin Tin, and King, military and police dogs have increasingly become an important tool, in military operations, and law enforcement. Ape's loss is a demonstration, of just how important their missions are, or deadly they could be.
As an American citizen, I am grateful for his service, and his ultimate sacrifice... for his loss allowed others to live.

As a dog handler and trainer, my thoughts and prayers are with his team members, and most importantly his handler and trainer. It is he or she that will feel this loss the most.
To his handler, Ape wasn't just a dog, or a pet, or a tool. He was a partner, a protector, and patriot, and most importantly, he was a best friend.

A friend that will be missed forever.

God Bless his teammates that put their lives on the line for this country, and may Ape, forever rest in peace.

BERNARD B. KERIK

Taxpayers, Economy and Society Benefit from Prison Reform

According to the U.S. Attorney General's Office in a recent article in "Business Insider," the sequestration could result in a major budget cut to the federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP) to the tune of approximately $338 million.

Representatives from the Department of Justice said that they are "acutely concerned" about inmate and staff safety, a sentiment echoed by Attorney General Eric Holder, who said that these cuts could endanger the lives of staff and inmates in the federal prison system.

The recent murder of federal correction officer Eric Williams at the U.S. Penitentiary at Canaan, a high security prison for men, is a vivid reminder of the dangers our nation's correctional staff face daily, but could be worsened by the budget cuts as a result of the sequestration.
In addition to cuts that could jeopardize staff and inmate safety, freezing future hiring  and forcing 36,700 BOP staff to take an average of 12 days unpaid furlough during the remainder of the fiscal year will devastate staff morale to say the least, not to mention the financial burden such actions will have on BOP staff members and their families.

For the past two decades, criminal justice experts around the country, including several former Republican and Democratic attorney's general, state and federal judges and prosecutors, and members of the U.S. Congress have been racking their brains in an attempt to address criminal justice and prison reform.

One thing that has consistently been on the table has been considerations for alternative sentencing for first-time and non-violent offenders, in an attempt to reduce the present federal prison population that has gone from 25,000 in 1980 to more than an estimated 229,300 by this year's end. Another possibility has been to enhance good-time incentives, reward inmates for good behavior, and get them back into society faster, where they can work, pay taxes, take care of their families, and pay their fines and restitutions.

There has never been a better time to muster the courage to address this issue than right now.
The BOP presently allocates 54 days incentivized good-time per year, per inmate, far less than many state prison systems around the country. Enhancing the good time allocation from 54 days a year to 120 or 128 days a year could create nearly $1 billion annual savings to the BOP's staggering $6.6 billion budget. The additional good-time incentives would immediately and substantially reduce inmate overcrowding.  In addition, this would be an added incentive for inmates to comply with institutional rules and regulations, thereby reducing violence, creating safer facilities for staff and inmates alike.

Another possible remedy could be the passing of HR-62, the Federal Prison Bureau Nonviolent Offender Relief Act of 2013, that is presently sitting in the House. The bill was introduced on 3 January 2013, and referred to the House Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism, Homeland Security and Investigations for review on 25 January 2013.

This bill would require the BOP to change its good time policy to require that prisoners be released if they (1) have served one half or more of their sentence, (2) are age 45 or older, (3) have never been convicted of a crime of violence, and (4) have not engaged in any violation of BOP disciplinary rules involving violent conduct.

The passing of this bill could generate another enormous cost savings to the American tax payer, reduce overcrowding, and also create an incentive for better behavior by the inmate population, which reduces violence, making the facilities safer for inmates and staff.

Lastly, BOP wardens have the statutory authority to recommend up to 12 months halfway house/home detention, in addition to an inmate's present allocation of 54 days a year good time. Historically, maximum halfway house/home detention recommendations have been rare; however, this alone could result in substantial cost savings to the American taxpayer.

These are just a few things that could dramatically and immediately reduce the federal prison population without letting violent offenders back on the streets. Such changes would also create enormous cost savings for the American taxpayer, reduce inmate violence in BOP's higher classification facilities, and generate collateral economic income, by getting these offenders back into society so they can work, pay taxes, take care of their family, and pay their restitutions and fines.
There is no question that criminal justice and prison reform will happen some time in the future, but it must begin today.

We cannot jeopardize the safety and security of the men and women who put their lives on the line day in and day out while staffing and securing our nation's prisons. There are ways to effectively and efficiently cut the BOP's budget without doing so.
The benefit to the American taxpayer and the economy can be enormous. The benefit to society could be immeasurable.

There is no better time to begin addressing this issue than today.

MAYOR ED KOCH - REST IN PEACE

There are plenty of things that I could say about the former Mayor of New York City, but I thought this was more fitting. It's a letter to my daughter, reflecting on a good and gracious man. May he rest in peace, and may God bless the family and loved ones he left behind.

---------------

3 February 2013

Dear Celine:

Two days ago, New York City lost one of its greatest assets, former New York City Mayor Ed Koch. He passed away at the age of 88.

He was the Mayor of the City of New York for twelve years, long before you were born...but once on a warm September morning, you and he shared a stage.

It was September 6, 2000, and I was being sworn in as New York City's 40th Police Commissioner. The stage was full of dignitaries, police brass, and religious leaders. At six months old, you were sitting on Mommy's lap, front and center. Grandma and Grandpap sat in the second row and, right next to them, was the former Mayor Ed Koch.

With all the pomp and circumstance, Mayor Koch watched the excitement around him. He smiled and greeted everyone who said hello.

Mommy, who was sitting right in front of Mayor Koch, was holding her hands over your face, trying to protect you from the sun's rays, when the mayor leaned over and handed her his handkerchief.

"Put this over her head," he said, smiling at you. "The sun's no good for her."

Mommy thanked him, took the handkerchief, and placed it over your head, and for the remainder of the ceremony, you slept away.

When it was over, she thanked the kind Mayor, and tried to give the handkerchief back.

"Keep it," he said, "in case you need it."

And there's more to this story.

Twenty-three years earlier, I was working in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, with dreams of joining the New York City Police Department.

I wasn't sure how to apply for the job, so a friend recommended I call the New York City Department of Personnel and ask to be sent an application to take the NYPD test. I did, but the person I spoke with wasn't very helpful. I called back again and again, all to no avail.

Then my friend said, "Write a letter to the mayor - Mayor Ed Koch - and tell him that you want to join the NYPD and would like an application to apply."

At first I laughed. I knew that the Mayor of New York City had better things to do than respond to employment inquiries, but having nowhere else to turn, I typed out a letter and dropped it in the post.

Three weeks later, I received a short note from Mayor Ed Koch himself, in which he said that he forwarded my request to the appropriate departments, and should I not hear from them in the near future, please write back and let him know.

Within days of receiving his letter, I had more NYPD applications than I knew what to do with!

And the rest is history.

In July of 1986, I stood in the Brooklyn Technical Institute with 2,200 men and women, and was sworn in as a New York City Police Officer by the same mayor who made sure I received the application.

Fourteen years later, we all shared that stage.

Today, a New York City icon, and a great part of the city itself, is gone.

In reflecting on Mayor Koch's life, Chris Ruddy of NewsMax Media said, "He was a model of how a public servant and a good citizen can make a significant difference in the lives of others." In my case, that could never be more true.

When I think of the lessons we learn throughout our lives from others, there are a few very good ones that we could all learn from Mayor Koch.

Patriotism... his was viral!

He loved his city, his country, and his family, more than life itself.

In a recent interview for Vanity Fair, he was asked what was the one thing he most deplored about himself, and he said, "A willingness to go with my gut feeling rather than wait a day and contemplate other options."

When asked if he could change one thing about himself, what would it be, he said, "I would like to be more accepting of the faults of others."

And, one of my favorites, when asked what is the trait he deplored most about others, he replied, "Disloyalty."

Then came a question that took me back to that September morning.

What do you dislike most about your appearance, he was asked. "Sun damage on my face and head," he said. It was the same thing that bothered him about you sitting on that grand stage in the blaring sun.

When Mayor Koch was asked if he were to die and come back as a person or thing, what did he think he would want to be, he responded by saying, "A major political leader here in the United States."

I laughed to myself at that thought. If he were here today, I'd tell him something that he must have known.

Mr. Mayor, you were a major political leader in this country, right up until the day you died. You were relevant, candid, outspoken, and patriotic.

Celine, when Ed Koch was the mayor, no matter where he was or what he was doing, he would ask, "How'm I doing?"

If he were here today, we could tell him together that he did just fine.

I would thank him for his service to New York City and our country. You, my dear, could thank him for his handkerchief. It's a part of a great man that you can cherish forever.

Today, say a prayer for this great American.

Love, Daddy xo

BERNARD B. KERIK

PRAYERS FOR NEWTOWN

Friday's mass murder in Newtown, Connecticut, is one of the most horrifying and unimaginable events in our nation's history.
With it, will come questions about gun control, school safety and security, parenting, and how society responds to, and reports troubled behavior by it's citizens. There will be plenty of time for those debates, but now is not the time.
Although there are no words that will ever ease the pain of those whose loss is incomprehensible, our entire country needs to muster every bit of prayer, compassion and support, for them and their families during this difficult time.

We also need to insure that the courageous teachers and school officials that sheltered surviving students, and those students themselves; and the local, state and federal law enforcement officers, whose job it was to evacuate the school, and process a crime scene that will haunt most of them forever, must be looked after and taken care of.
There is nothing that will erase the images of that day from their minds - ever. I KNOW.
In the aftermath of Newtown, give your own children and loved ones, a special hug and kiss. There are many of our neighbors that will never have that opportunity again.
God Bless them, and remember them always in your thoughts and prayers.


-BERNARD B. KERIK

IN REMEMBRANCE

On November 13, 2001, these words were published in my book, The Lost Son, A Life in Pursuit of Justice.


"The events of September 11, 2001, robbed the New York City Police Department, and the city at large, of 23 extraordinary human beings: police officers, sergeants, and detectives; twenty-two men and one woman who were beloved by their families and valued by the communities they served. But in their sacrifice, these fallen heroes gave the world something truly great in return: a demonstration of unshaken courage in the face of death, and the nobility of the human spirit. In a city of superlatives, theirs was an ultimate act of virtue; let their lives, and their bravery, never be forgotten."


Today, let us also not forget the 343 members of the FDNY, or the 37 Port Authority Police Officers who died as well, or the dozens of first responders from the NYPD, FDNY, AND PAPD that have died since, due to 9/11 related illnesses.


I salute and honor them all, as well as their surviving brothers and sisters in uniform, who on that day, and in the days after, put life before death, in one of the greatest rescue and recovery missions in United States history.


God Bless them all.


-BERNARD B. KERIK

JOE LEWIS - Rest in Peace

In the summer of 1969, I was 13 years old, when I began studying the Martial Arts. I earned my first degree black belt in American Goju Karate in 1972, and a black belt in Tae Kwon Do, in Korea in 1975.



The Martial Arts Grand Masters of today, back then, were the top competitors in the world, inspiring young men and women just like me, to train and train hard, and to fight and fight hard. They taught us discipline, respect, and honor.



Chuck Norris, Jeff Smith, Bill Wallace, Joe Lewis, Joe Corely, Mike Stone, and Skipper Mullins, were some that I looked up to, admired and tried to emulate as a fighter and artist. I have had the pleasure of meeting most of them, and the distinct honor of getting to know them personally, and calling them friends. Good friends.



Joe Lewis was one of them. A living legend in the martial arts world, he was inducted into 13 martial arts halls of fame, including Black Belt Magazine, and named Black Belt's Instructor of the Year, and Fighter of the Year.



On Friday, August 31, 2012, Grandmaster Joe Lewis past away. He will be sadly missed by his family and friends, and millions of martial artists around the world. I will miss an inspiration, a good man, and a great friend.



My thoughts and prayers are with his family, during this difficult time.



-BERNARD B. KERIK

Happy Father's Day

For years as a child, on Father's Day, I would give my dad a card, sometimes with a small gift and sometimes not. As I got older, it went from a card to a call...until 2006. That was the year my dad died. There were no more cards and no more calls.




When I too became a father, the same routine was repeated. My children gave me cards or little gifts on this special day.



I often think of my dad, Donald Raymond Kerik, Sr. His wisdom, humor, attitude, and his humility have stuck with me,along with all of the things he taught me about life, both big and small. I am in awe of his strength, his courage. It was something I never realized until the end. Throughout his life and mine, I never saw it, or witnessed it, or felt it. He was mild mannered, peaceful, and most often a passive man, until the day we sat in a room with two doctors who told him that the end was near.



He had no fear, he didn't flinch, and he sat there as stoic as one could be in the face of death, in complete control.



He wasn't going to take chemo. "I hear it makes you sick," he said. He didn't want pain killers. "I've never done drugs, and I'm not going to start now."



When he asked how long he would live, the doctor replied, "Without treatment, months... maybe three or four."



With my brother and me in shock, my mother in hysteria, and the doctors a bit stunned, Dad thanked them for their time, stood up and said, "I'm not sure what I intend to do, so I'll discuss it with my wife and sons, and I'll get back to you tomorrow. Now let's get some lunch," and off we went.



I learned more about him on that one day than perhaps any other. He died six months later.



This coming Father's Day will my third away from my own children, and as difficult as this time has been for all of us, it has given me another way to look at Father's Day, and what it means to me.



I've realized it has nothing to do with cards, gifts or calls.



To me, Father's Day is the first time you hear your child say "Daddy." It's their smile in the morning, a kiss on the cheek, the soft touch of their hands. It's running your hands through their hair when they're sleeping and the way they smell after their evening bath. It's the words, "I love you," before bed, and butterflies and Eskimos. It's movies on Saturdays, pancakes on Sundays, and outrageous ice creams at Friendly's. It's watching your oldest succeed and your youngest excel. It's teaching them things that you never knew and giving them more than you ever had. It's your daughter with your freckles, eyes, and attitude, and your son with the same birthmark on his back that you have on yours. It's the joy that comes from being a father, and the heart full of love that you cannot explain.



For me, Father's Day is every day, all year long. Missing the last three years with my children has done nothing more than make me understand that.



I miss my father. He was a good man.



As for my children, Happy Father's Day! You've given me the greatest gift of all.
-BERNARD B. KERIK



You can follow Mr. Kerik at www.twitter.com/bernardkerik

A MUST-READ: SWAGGER by Lisa Bloom

Last year, a friend of mine sent me an article titled "How to Talk to Little Girls" by Lisa Bloom. As a father of two little girls, twelve and nine, I read the article with interest and thought, as many readers have since, what about "How to talk to little boys?"


As fate would have it, that question would stir up enough commotion that Lisa Bloom would answer that question in her newly released book, SWAGGER--10 Urgent Rules for Raising Boys in an Era of Failing Schools, Mass Joblessness, and Thug Culture. If this was a lottery, SWAGGER is the jackpot. If this were baseball, SWAGGER is a World Series winning grand slam. But this is real life, and that being said, SWAGGER is a MUST-READ for every parent, educator and legislator in this country.


After 30 years in law enforcement, commanding two of the largest law enforcement organizations in the United States--the NYPD and the New York City jail system, including Rikers Island--I must admit that for most of my career, I had a one-sided view of the American criminal justice system until I became a federal investigative target and later surrendered to federal prison.


The circumstances surrounding my investigation and my incarceration has contradicted much of what I once believed. There are times when I am filled with bitterness and anger at the system--and at myself--for being here. I am constantly trying to make sense of it all, to seek out and find what good can come of this.


If there has been one benefit to society in my incarceration, it is that I have witnessed what no one with my experience has ever seen before. No one.. There is no site survey, inspection, guided tour, or magic window to look through that allows a federal judge, attorney, prosecutor, member of Congress, or law enforcement or prison administrator to clearly see what it is like to live as an inmate. They do not and cannot see the system's successes or failures or injustices without having lived within the system.


As a father, an American, and someone who has fought for and defended the very freedoms and liberty that I feel are in jeopardy for our young men today, I believe SWAGGER can be one of the most important books of our time.


This no-nonsense, no B.S. guide to raising boys and young men is one of the first books I have read in a long time that's not about the left or right, not about liberals or conservatives, and it is not gauged for the politically correct.


Ms. Bloom clearly outlines the problems with America's educational system, economy, criminal justice system, and thug culture. She then lays out 10 rules for guiding young boys and men into adulthood, rules that can help them get an education, stay out of prison, and become successful members of society.


Do you know that only one in three Baltimore kids graduate from high school? Or, nationwide, that the majority of African American and Hispanic boys drop out of high school? They are destined for doom and failure if things don't change, and Ms. Bloom explains why.



She also raises serious questions as to why there is there no outrage at the glamorization of drug use, drug dealing and violence in the music and entertainment industry. "We're not talking about little racy innuendo; some of the biggest artists today advocate joining the Crips, punching your girlfriend, or murdering gay men," she writes, calling for parents to know and stare down the reality and critically discuss media messages with their boys.



From teaching boys how to respect girls and women, to being ever-critical of all media, to the lost virtue of humility, in this hard-hitting, must-read guide to mentoring, educating and raising healthy sons, Ms. Bloom provides the reader with easy, common sense solutions that can help parents, educators and our political leaders change the future of young boys and men in this country. And, although her book focuses primarily on boys and their upbringing, there is so much you can learn from it when it comes to raising girls as well.



I grew up hard, on the streets of Newark and Paterson, New Jersey. I was abandoned by my mother, a prostitute, who was murdered when I was nine. I dropped out of high school, destined for failure, but the U.S. Army, martial arts, and the right mentoring and guidance from my father, step-mother, and those who cared changed all that. Thirty years later, I was nominated for a presidential cabinet post.



I've seen the boys that Lisa Bloom writes about.. They were on the streets of Newark, Paterson, and New York City, and on Rikers Island. Many of those high school drop outs from Baltimore are right here in this minimum security camp. So too are young men from some of America's most wealthy cities.



Lisa Bloom talks about what happens without the proper mentoring. I can tell you my first hand observations: Once the youngest and most vulnerable are incarcerated, and mix into their new surroundings and the fear of prison dissipates, they begin their "new education" with the older inmates as their teachers. These are grown men who sit around like teenage boys, talking about old times, drugs, guns, cars, jewelry, women and sports.



The young men, newly incarcerated, will learn how to lie, cheat, steal, con, manipulate, and gamble. Their vocabulary diminishes into a profound ghetto slang, their posture changes into an intimidating swagger, a fist bump replaces a handshake, and a grunt replaces "Good morning." They learn more about the drug trade than they did on the outside, and disagreements often result in threats of violence. This is just for starters.



The longer they are here, the more demoralized and hopeless they become. Whatever societal values they may have had upon their arrival now change to institutional ones that lack respect, discipline and responsibility.. The cost of their incarceration is in the billions, but the collateral cost to society is immeasurable.



Our government and criminal justice and prison systems cannot fix this problem alone. It take parents, teachers and educators, and our political leadership.



Lisa Bloom explains who should do what and why, and she talks about the power of parenting, and how mentoring is a must.



In the end, through her questions and research, she finds the answers that every parent needs to hear. The boys tell us all, in their own ways, what they need, what they want, and what would make them be the best they could be.



"Listen to me, Pay attention to me, Get to know me, Spend time with me. And, protect me."



It doesn't seem like too much to ask. And although that, in itself, will not fix everything, it is a great start.



There was something else Ms. Bloom said in her book that could not be more true. "Closing our eyes and hoping for the best won't cut it, not when our boys live in the real world."



Most Americans live in that real world and know and understand these problems, but don't have the courage to acknowledge or admit them. Lisa Bloom does it for us. She outlines the problems as clear as day, and then takes it a step further, by bringing real solutions to the table that don't cost money, will save lives, and keep our kids out of prison.



If you care about your children, SWAGGER is a must-read. If you care about this country, get your educators and political leadership to read it as well.



-BERNARD B. KERIK



You can follow Mr. Kerik at: www.twitter.com/bernardkerik

REMEMBERING OUR HEROES

Although summer doesn't officially begin until the middle of June, to most Americans, Memorial Day and the weekend is the start of summer. It's the first weekend of the year when American families open their swimming pools or head for the beach, plan backyard barbeques, make sure that their landscaping is in tip-top shape, post an American flag on their porch, and if they have time, they just may attend their local Memorial Day Parade. That is what most American families will do.



But there is another group of American families who will be far less focused on summer festivities or the beach or barbeques, and they probably won't have time to go to their local parade.



They will wake up on that Monday morning - Memorial Day - and instead of driving to the beach, they will drive to a cemetery. Instead of standing over a barbeque pit, they will stand over a grave. Instead of landscaping at home, they will remove the weeds and debris from around the tombstone that bears the name of an American hero who gave his or her life defending and protecting this great country. After they've cleaned up this hallowed ground, they will post an American flag as a solemn reminder of who lies there.



There will be no ceremony or guest speaker, and the eerie silence of that cemetery will only be broken by the faint sounds those crying or praying out loud. These mothers and fathers, sons and daughters, family members and friends are not there to celebrate, but to mourn, to honor, to remember, and to reflect on the life of their loved one who gave their all so that the rest of us could live in freedom, freedom that we so often take for granted.



That is what Memorial Day is all about. Remembering our heroes..



On this Memorial Day, let s take a moment to honor and pray for our heroes and their families who have sacrificed so much for all of us. Let s take a moment to thank a veteran for service to our country. Let s take the time to send a donation to the Wounded Warrior Project, the USO, Fisher House, or any organization that supports our veterans.



Most importantly, let us honor these fallen heroes by sowing the seeds of patriotism in our children, teaching them what Memorial Day really stands for and why it is so important to never forget the sacrifices others have made on our behalf. Let's teach them that freedom is never free, and that without the members of our armed forces, here and around the world, this country would not be what it is today.



https://support.woundedwarriorproject.org/

http://www.uso.org/donatelanding.aspx

http://www.fisherhouse.org/donate/



On this Memorial Day, I also want to give special thanks to the men and women of the NYPD for their sacrifices on and after 9/11 and to the members of our Armed Forces, the FBI, CIA and local and state law enforcement for standing between good and evil and keeping this country safe from harm.



Godspeed and God Bless you all.



-BERNARD B. KERIK



Follow Mr. Kerik at: www.twitter.com/bernardkerik