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NPDF Vice-President John Hickey, President Jack Holder, State Troopers Coalition Adminsitrator Sgt. James Dobak (l. to r.)
Those attending included Bergen County Prosecutor John L. Molinelli; Jay Fahy, a former U.S. Attorney and Bergen prosecutor now in private practice, who serves on the NPDF Executive Board; and Jim Durkin, president of the New Jersey Honor Legion.
Marking the 10th anniversary of 9/11 was a dominant theme at Wednesday night’s gala, attended by more than 300 people.
But the primary purpose was to raise money for The National Police Defense Foundation’s “Operation Kids” program, a multi-faceted child safety initiative that also arranges life-saving operation for critically ill children.
“Memorials may be erected and time heals wounds, but the threats of our enemies still remains constant,” said NPDF Administrator Sgt. James Dobak, Jr. of the New Jersey State Police.
Friedman was able to link both, tying the tragedy of 9/11 to the brutal slaying of another innocent, 8-year-old Leiby Kletzky, by a Brooklyn neighbor.
CLIFFVIEW PILOT photos
“Before 9/11 happened, we all thought differently,” he said. The way of life wasn’t the way we live now.”
“Strangers unfortunately are no longer the outside community,” Liebman warned. “They can be some of our community.”
Leiby’s murder “should be a wake-up call” to adults to better watch childden and “teach them how to deal with strangers,” he said.
Through his work, Friedman honors the legacy of his father, Rabbi Morton Friedman, who was a law enforcement chaplain for 35 years – working with, among others, four different sheriffs departments.
The younger Friedman, an accomplished motivational speaker and crisis intervention expert, is currently working not only in Teaneck but with the New Jersey State Police, the Putnam and Dutchess county sheriffs offices in New York and with federal agencies, as well.
On top of that, he is a liaison to, among other departments, the NYPD and the New York State Office of Homeland Security—and recently was named chaplain to the U.S. Postal Service.
Bergen County Prosecutor John L. Molinelli, John J. Fahy, NPDF Founder/Executive Director Joseph Occhipinti, Hudson County defense attorney Genesis Peduto, retired NJSP Major Albert Della Fave
The other honorees:
New Jersey State Sen. Joseph Vitale/Middlesex County: “Person of the Year”
FOX 5’s Tia Hua Chang: “Excellence in Media Award”
Harry Kalicovic, President, Profit Marketing, Inc.: Businessperson of the Year
Retired NJSP Major Carmello Huertas: Lifetime Achievement Award
Meritorious awards went to, among others, NJSP Troopers Miguel Holguin and Michael Niemczyk.
Rabbi Abe FriedmanThe dinner dance ended with a silent auction of some amazing treasures.
The NPDF – a congressionally-recognized and IRS-designated non-profit organization — boasts more than 170,000 members and supporters nationwide and in a dozen foreign countries.
The State Troopers Coalition, which gathered Wednesday night, is an offshoot created to target resources to a particular law enforcement group.
“Since its inception, the State Troopers Coaltion has brought hope and strength to the lives of many Gov. Chris Christie wrote, in a letter to the group.” The coalition has provided medical and legal support services and has established funds for a number of public safety programs.”
The NPDF provides free medical support services to all law enforcement personnel who experience a job related illness and disability. The toll-free number: 888-SAFE COP.
The NPDF has also earned a reputation defending law enforcement officer wrongly charged by, among others, mobsters and drug dealers. Its efforts have been profiled on 60 Minutes, Dateline, Fox News Network, and CNN, among other national news programs.
Among its many works, the NPDG is helping build an elementary school in Santo Domingo for police families, distributed rewards to those who’ve helped catch cop killers and, last month, unveiled a 9/11 memorial.
But it’s through “Operations Kids” that the organization arguably makes the greatest difference. Watch this video:
“Operation Kids“:
(1) distributes free child fingerprint kits to parents;
(2) posts periodic rewards for missing & kidnapped children in the U.S.;
(3) funds youth events;
(4) provides financial assistance to young crime victims;
(5) provides scholarships to criminal justice students;
(6) arranges life-saving operations for critically ill children;
(7) funds “Project Pedophile,” a unique initiative that rewards any a $1,000 U.S. Savings Bond who provides information leading to the federal arrest and conviction of any pedophile soliciting victims on the Internet.
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