NYPD recruit Allan Pearlman was jogging laps in the gym last May during his police training when he heard a loud crash behind him. Pearlman, a Modern Orthodox Jew from Staten Island, turned around to see a fellow recruit on the floor, unmoving.
With his EMT training kicking in, Pearlman grabbed a medical bag from the academy, rushed to the classmate, checked for a pulse, and administered aid until an ambulance arrived.
The next month, Pearlman encountered another recruit for NYPD traffic enforcement in distress on the police academy’s muster deck, an outdoor meeting area. The recruit was experiencing a diabetic episode, and Pearlman once again provided emergency care until help arrived.
“I personally don’t think I did anything special,” Pearlman told the New York Jewish Week. “I saw somebody that needed help and I went.”
Pearlman is set to graduate from the police academy today and will be honored with the Police Academy Commanding Officer’s award for Exceptional Police Duty for his quick actions in both incidents. He is one of seven recruits out of a class of 600 to receive this recognition. The Police Academy, located in College Point, Queens, conducts a six-month training program for its recruits.
The NY Jewish Week reports that Pearlman joins the NYPD at a time when the city is experiencing a spike in antisemitism and anti-Israel protests that have disrupted life in various public spaces, including streets, college campuses, and major events. Since January 1, there have been at least 223 reported antisemitic hate crimes, according to preliminary police data. One recent incident under investigation as a suspected hate crime involved the arson of a Hatzalah emergency services vehicle on the Lower East Side.
“It’s concerning with what’s happening across the city with the Jewish community but as you see the police department is actively recruiting members of the Jewish community,” said Deputy Chief Richie Taylor, the NYPD’s highest-ranking Orthodox Jew. The NYPD seeks candidates from various communities across New York City, although Pearlman had a lifelong ambition to join the force. It’s very important for the police department to reflect the city that we serve,” Taylor said. “Every community would be appreciative to see someone who reflects them and speaks their language.”
Pearlman, 26, was drawn to the NYPD from a young age, growing up in the Modern Orthodox community on Staten Island.
“I just always wanted to be a police officer ever since I was a kid,” he said. His eight years as an EMT with Hatzalah in New Jersey reinforced his desire to join the police force. “I got to see what they really did and that further drew me to it,” he said.
{Matzav.com}