NYPD 71st Precinct Community Council recognises Explorers
By Tangerine Clarke
The NYPD 71st Precinct
Community Council, on Monday,
June 22, acknowledged the
71st Brooklyn Explorers Academy
and its aspiring police
officers with Certificates of
Appreciation during a luncheon
ceremony at its Empire
Blvd. station house.
Syl Hasani, Mitchelle
Baltazar Lopez, and Melaney
Edwards. Leah Baltazar Lopez,
Kyle Pounder Kayla Pounder,
Chad Nelson, Antonio Colbert,
D’Hanna Frater, Nadem
Mahabir, and Montana Cambry,
were later, served a meal,
complements of Bibi Bethune,
GT Kingston Restaurant of
Richmond Hill.
Community Activist, Tony
Herbert in his keynote message,
rallied the youngsters to
carry the torch of perfect leadership
to inspire their peers.
“I am honored to have this
opportunity to be here. Most
times I am speaking at a graduation,
so this means a whole
lot to see the positivity of this
group of young folks. You are
the standard bearers, the torch
is being passed to you, the
responsibility of what’s happening
with the police department,
Caribbean L 18 ife, June 26-July 2, 2020
is on your shoulders
right now,” said Herbert.
“You have to be the example
as shown by your participation
in such an organized structure.
The leadership that you
espouse in the community is
perfect, but at the end of the
day, you have to go out and tell
your peers, this is what I am
doing, and it’s positive,” said
the community activist.
Herbert told the youths that
the police department is much
very needed in communities
to fight crime, and to ensure
society is not lost to violence.
He urged them to support the
police department in its work
to protect and keep people safe
from anyone who wants to
hurt them.
Addressing the spate of fireworks
that continues to keep
residents awake, Herbert said
this is an example of how the
Explorers could communicate
their message, in a positive way
to support the police department
in their work, denouncing
violence and disorder in
communities.
Herbert applauded the
Explorers for wearing their uniform
with pride and thanked
them for being examples to be
NYPD offi cers, the 71st Precinct Community Council Explorers, Tony Herbert, Dimple Willabus,
Pastor Ellsworth Chester, Carl Cohen, and others outside the precinct on Empire
Boulevard. Photo by Tangerine Clarke
followed. He reminded them
that it was okay to be associated
with the police department
that supports programs
to improve the lives of youth.
“We stand behind the police
department, and we stand with
you, one hundred percent,”
Herbert told the Explorers.
Community Advocate, Dimple
Willabus whose church,
Victory Assembly of God headed
by Pastor Ellsworth Chester,
plays a major role in the
community, applauded the
program.
The church, through a
collaborative effort with the
NPYD, engages youth in after
school sporting activities.
“Our youth are our future
and it’s extremely important
that they have great role models.
It starts in the home, but a
lot of times we don’t have role
models, so we seek an Explorer
program,” she said, and
commended the Community
Affairs Department, and others
for organizing the event.
She applauded the police
department for going beyond
their job description to engage
the children in the community.
“We need great examples in
our community, like Tony Herbert,”
she said, and called on
the Explorers, to hold their
heads high.
“I stand with the NYPD,
because we do have good officers
on the job. We need camaraderie
with police officers and
our community. I call on religious
leaders to advocate, it is
time to stand for what is right,”
said Willabus.
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