Teen wins police job for a day

Stephanie Rosario, a 14-year-old Richmond Hill resident from John Adams High School’s Jump Start Academy, received a special honor from the New York City Police Department. Her essay, “What would you do if you were police commissioner?” written in her 9th grade English class, was entered into a contest and won, making her Commanding Officer of Patrol Borough Queens South for a day.
Rosario’s winning essay emphasized the need for after-school programs geared towards kids staying away from drugs as well as learning about different cultures other than their own. Rosario proposed a program that would bring people with experience having to do with racism and prejudice to high schools to teach and educate children on racial issues.
“I wanted to write about the importance of cultural programs,” added Rosario. “I feel that if you know more about different people you will are less likely to be prejudiced towards them.”
Rosario and her guest, cousin Brandelin Valerio, 13, were treated by the NYPD to lunch, a visit to the NYPD Museum in Manhattan, took a tour of the 107th Precinct and she met NYPD Commissioner Raymond Kelly and Assistant Chief Commanding Officer of Patrol Borough Queens South Thomas V. Dale.
“The museum was fun. We took pictures in jail cells,” Rosario said. “I felt very proud to shake the hand of the police commissioner.”
Dale, a 36-year veteran of the force, explained to Rosario what his job entails as commander of Queens South, and how police operations in New York City really function. Dale is one of eight Assistant Chief Commanding Officers in the City of New York. He reports directly to Chief of Patrol Nicholas Estavillo.
“My job is to make sure that police service is running 24 hours a day, 7 days a week for people that need it,” said Dale. “Our main concerns right now are getting crime down, terrorism and quality of life issues”