Ask A Cop

022: What makes a retired successful business man decide to dedicate his life to serving our First Responders?

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Join us as, Al Eskanazy,  Bronx-born philanthropist unfolds his remarkable journey through the civil rights era, paralleling a career in insurance with an unwavering dedication to community service. Al opens up about his deeply personal venture into founding a school for autistic children, driven by compassion and a plea that couldn't go unanswered.

The heart of our conversation beats to the rhythm of societal change, as Al delves into the critical need for police training that favors dialogue and psychological savvy over force. He brings to light the unsung acts of law enforcement and stresses the importance of putting boots on the ground in our communities to enact positive change. These stories are more than just tales; they're an invitation to reevaluate and engage with the world we live in, considering the people who dedicate their lives to serving it.

Al challenges us to preserve the integrity of dialogue in our society, drawing inspiration from Socratic teachings and the pressing need to preserve civil liberties. This episode isn't merely a talk; it's a tribute to the unbreakable bonds we forge when we choose unity over division and support over skepticism, with a special nod to the unsung heroes who build bridges every day between the community and those sworn to protect it.

Host:

Welcome to Ask a Cop. We're sitting down with members of law enforcement to have an authentic conversation aimed to give you a window into the lives of those men and women serving the community. You'll hear about how you can support us at the end of today's episode, but for now, get ready to ask a cop. Ask a cop.

Joey:

Hello, god's Way Radio family, good to be with you again. We have a special guest, a friend I'd like to think, here in the studio, and we also have a returning friend, adrian, here with us as well. It's a group of us here, three of us here in the studio, and it's a joy to be with you. This is a previously recorded interview, so if you hear anything that you want more information on, please contact us and we'll do our very best, and so to get to it and to use our time as best we can. Mr Al Eskenazi, it's good to have you here, it's an honor to be here, it's so good to have you, and you know I was wondering where to start. You know, just reading the website, reading about you and your work and your life. You know I love asking and obviously as much as you're willing to share just kind of your upbringing. You know where are you from, you know what was it like for Mr Al, Alice Ganazi, the young man, alice Ganazi.

Al:

I imagine it was no different than many young men Very confusing time right growing up. So I'm a Jewish boy born and raised in the Bronx, new York. Many of you, I would imagine, know the Bronx and it was a peculiar time. I'm 70. I was born in 1950, but I was really truly a product of the 60s, in a sense that that was a big civil rights era for us and, quite frankly, with all the chaos, it was very enjoyable because the United States of America truly, truly began moving forward in a very, extremely important way. We started recognizing people for the person that they are instead of for the skin tone that they may have. It was a very passionate time and it was also the time of the Vietnam War as well.

Joey:

And you served in the military for a season, I was in the.

Joey:

United States Army Reserves for five years, from 1969 through 1974. So we thank you for that time as well, for your service there. And you know, as we get to know you a little bit here again, I I think that I know you a little bit, getting to know you, that you don't want it just to be all about you. It's not about me, you know, but there's going to be so many things that we're going to be able to thank you for and and the people that work with you, the organizations. You know, ultimately, as we've spoken about, what god has done through you and through your organization. So, really looking forward to that, you know it's interesting. Maybe you want to share a little bit with us about, you know, 40 years in insurance, right, your insurance career of 40 years, and I imagine that that was different than what you're doing today. What was that?

Al:

like what you were doing before your philanthropy. Well, you know, we say before. The truth of the matter is I've always been philanthropic. That's great. My family and my religion speaks about doing philanthropy. So, whether it was just making contributions as a young boy to a cause or, later on in life, understanding what we call tzedakah charity it's a Hebrew word meaning basically to give back, to do, to share, and that was very important to me.

Al:

My parents taught me that at a very young age. So I was a founder and owner of a very, very large insurance wholesale operation in the intermediary. Fortunately, I did not have to deal with the public as a wholesaler, but I dealt with professional insurance brokers throughout the United States and philanthropy was always there. However, it truly struck in 1998, about 22 years ago, actually a year before that when we hired a lady to do a job in my office and she saw plaques on the wall of different charities, whether it was Make-A-Wish or the United Way, whatever I might have been doing at the time.

Al:

And she said gosh, you have to help me, I have a child with autism and there's no programs at all for autistic children. And I said, I'm sorry lady, I don't know anything about autism other than movies the Rain man and I know nothing about education, so it's not something I'd be effective at. Well, you know she was very persistent and over three months she kept coming in every morning and always had a sentence or two.

Al:

You know it was one of those things and I had at that time I had, well, that was 300 employees. So you know, it was very difficult, but to focus in on one. And then one day she did the most brilliant thing anyone has ever done. She brought her five-year-old son in to meet me. Wow, he was autistic, he was stemming and making the noises and the hand movements and all the gestures that you might understand. And she said Max, say hello to Al.

Al:

So I get a little emotional about some of these things, of course, excuse me, but Max came over, she brought him over and he stopped stimming. He was just staring at me and then he put his hands on my face and after I got through the tears, you know, I said to her okay, what do you need, what can I do? And truthfully, I don't want to get corny or anything but truthfully, god showed me a path, because I knew nothing about education, the politics of it were insane and I knew nothing about autism. But you know, you rise up to the cause and this boy would have been institutionalized. And so I began the fight for two years trying to break through the politics of it, and we did and we founded a school for children with autism.

Al:

22 years later, it's the preeminent school of choice for replication. It's one child, one teacher, all day, every day. It's what we call ABA Applied Behavior Analysis. And these children, they mature, many of them move on, matriculate on four years, six years, seven, eight years, but now they're productive to themselves, meaning they don't need help going to a bathroom, they don't need help feeding themselves, they go on airplanes. And the point of it is where there's a will, there's a way.

Joey:

You know, I want to ask you something. I want to go back. You used a word that I don't know if many people are familiar with, and maybe you could elaborate. I want to go back. You used a word that I don't know if many people are familiar with, and maybe you could elaborate. If not, I could probably give some help stimming or stemming. Yes.

Al:

Do you want to elaborate on what that is? So what this many? There's also all different ranges of autistic children, and some are very unable to control their physical, their physicality, their physical hands, and they will move their hands a great deal, with a great deal of gestures that people don't understand. And one of the things that I truly applaud, major Ray Melkon of the Miami-Dade Police Department, who encouraged officers at the airport to understand autism and he brought in there's a particular officer up in Bell Harbor that has a program because he has a 29-year autistic son, uh, officer hernandez. So he, he, major ray milcon held a class at the airport for all his officers to understand. Hey, this is not a disruptive person it's not a disruptive child or adult.

Al:

This is how you recognize an autistic child or adult, and officers didn't know that, so they would Baker Act the individual Say he's a psychologically impaired guy. We got to bring him in. No, it's an autistic individual and this is how you recognize it. And now the officers at the airports, at Miami International Airport, they understand it very, very well.

Joey:

Thank you. I think you elaborated well because I think that that behavior quite frankly scares some people that don't understand it, and there's, I think, the right word, even though it's a strong word, might be an aversion, you know, kind of like a oh, I'll walk the other way. You're so right, you know, and uh, and so I appreciate you elaborating and you segued greatly into um, what god has you doing now which is working closely, closely, excuse me, with police and uh, that's amazing how those two worlds have even overlapped as well Autism, police, the communities, and the more. I read up on the foundation, which we'll elaborate on in a second. That's what it's all about, isn't it? The community, every member of the community, connecting with those that serve the community police and first responders.

Joey:

I want to read one thing from the website. This is Greater Miami Beach Police Foundation. I'll give you an opportunity to elaborate a little bit in a moment, al, but it says this uniting to support law enforcement and first responders to foster a prosperous, safe and productive community for the well-being of all. Why don't you tell us a little bit about the foundation?

Al:

So, you know, being a product of the 60s and seeing the Bronx burning, as they say, and it was a very, very difficult time, race relation-wise and police, police relation wise and you know I was building a business, building a life and building a family, so you kind of impeded in how much and what you can do. But, um, I sold my business in June of 2016 and I I've had a home down here for 17 years that I come back and forth to New York with.

Joey:

Down in Miami, in Miami, yeah.

Al:

And basically after six days of sitting on the beach, I knew I couldn't do it.

Joey:

Not for me, you know.

Al:

But in any event.

Joey:

Maybe it was the wrong beach. No, no, no, I'm just kidding.

Al:

I'm sorry, no, no, you know, I always say and Pastor Caballero certainly does remind me too now, as does Lieutenant Valdez and Officer Messer, I'm a participant, I'm not an observer you see something wrong? You participate to make it better. That could be somebody on the street who needs help, or it could be something corporately or government-wise street who needs help, or it could be something corporately right or government wise. So basically, uh, I said you know this, what's going on in this country? Now? This is four years ago, right it? It just reminds me it's reminiscent of the 60s, and I was ineffective then because I was just you know how old was I in the 60s?

Joey:

I was born in 1950 so, depending on the year I was, a teenager.

Al:

right, you can only do so much. And while I absolutely fell in love with Dr Martin Luther King, I was not so enchanted with some of the other people that weren't.

Joey:

Joanne.

Al:

Chesimard, to name one, or whatever it might be, but I was ineffective, nothing I could do. Plus, I was in the Army and I had to go to school college. I raised a family I got married at was in the Army and I had to go to school college. I raised a family. I got married at 21 in the old days. Right, that's what we did. I had a child.

Adrian:

I did too, adrian, yeah, 24. I'm a big advocate for that you are, I'm not. Yeah, yeah.

Al:

I'm not, but in any event. So I said I have to do something, and what I did is I started the Greater Miami Miami Beach Police Foundation, and the initials for the website are the initials of the words G-M-M-B-P-F, dot. O-r-g. Simultaneously to that, I also started New York's Elite Police Foundation. Now, why would somebody start a foundation with those names? At the time? It was the way to begin with the understanding of what we're doing very, very clearly, but it took me about a minute and a half to understand that the problems, the benefit to police officers in times of distress and communities had to come together, because this is what the issues were.

Al:

You know, we say that we have to defund police and restructure police departments. Well, miami and New York are perfect examples. It's not the cop of yesteryear standing on a street corner waving, you know, throughout, waving his baton with the, you know, it's the police today represent the communities. Yeah, I'm in overtown, I'm in liberty, I'm everywhere, as you, as you know, and the police that are there are representative of the makeup of the community.

Al:

It's not 20 years ago, you know, and, uh, I would say you know, if I'm picking a number out of the air, I would say 95% of all our funds are spent in community, not with police, it's in the community. We do a huge amount of tens of thousands of people that we've fed over this period of time in food pantries, people that we've fed over this period of time in food pantries. I'm talking about from homestead to goals, with Coach Demps and Pastor Leo Acosta down south. We have the migrant workers that are in need and what we do is we introduce law enforcement of the sector to the community as people Bring them together, forget the uniform.

Al:

Let's start a dialogue and you'd be amazed. Sunday we were at Pastor Reese's church in Liberty City the conversation between police officers and the community. Now it just sparks. Wow, it sparks.

Joey:

Yeah, I want to kind of enumerate some of what you're talking about. Looking at the website letters of commendation, testimonials and obviously we're not going to have time to read from each of these letters, but just to read some of the names listed here, some of the things that the foundation has done and some of the people you've worked with. Back-to-school backpacks do the right thing, the way. Miami food gift cards oh, I like this one. Uh, thanks from ulster budoka judo. Now, that's interesting bicycle donation.

Al:

He holds judo classes for autistic children.

Joey:

That's amazing, see, I wouldn't have known that I I if I clicked on it I would have seen it, but I'm glad you stopped me there. So, uh, judo classes for autistic children. National Organization of Black Law Enforcement Professionals, school Supplies Giveaway. North Miami PAL it goes on and on. Surfside Police, obviously, a lot of Miami Beach departments, fire police officers, assistant trust excuse me, bal Harbor. So so many Israeli Consulate that's a neat one. What did you do there, or with them?

Al:

So you may recall the high school up in Broward County that had an assault, and you may have seen the video of the officers standing outside and not understanding what to do. Perhaps the officers standing outside and not understanding what to do, perhaps. So that very week I began, I offered the opportunity for patrol officers the guy in the car, the true first responder, not the sergeant, the 30-second to 60-second guy. We started offering them training in how to clear a building, if you will, using that vernacular, how to approach a building. We have seven rooms, it's a shoot house and so it's transition work from pistol to a patrol rifle and talking people down instead of using firearms. Talk to them, figure out how you can get de-escalation, and the Israeli consulate at the time was bringing in their security teams from Latin America and Europe down in Miami Beach and we had an opportunity to assist them in their training, and so we made it available to them.

Joey:

That's amazing. Yeah, I just clicked on it as you're speaking and it was signed from the security of uh director, security affairs director, so that that seems really interesting and needed right um yeah, you must understand that the majority of training today is not with firearms, it's the psychology.

Al:

Yeah, it's how do you de-escalate?

Joey:

the de-inflate a circumstance do you think uh, I want to phrase this question properly do you think that people know that? And and obviously I'm I have a, I have a answer or an opinion on this question. And let me just be even more plain. I don't think that the mass media for lack of a better term portrays that People just see police officers with guns on TV. They don't see everything else that's going on the training, the preparedness, the de-escalation. What would you say to that?

Al:

Well, you know what's the number one rule of media If it bleeds, it reads Wow. So when I hold, when my foundation and my guys show up at a food pantry and we had the you know I'm getting emotional about something else, so give me a moment.

Al:

When we show up at a pantry and we were told that there can be certain politicians there and media will cover it for instance, the young seven-year-old child that was shot in the head a few weeks months back the little boy the little boy, yeah, the Ford, yeah, the mother was shot and the cousin was shot, but he was the one who perished. He got shot in the head. Our foundation members got together and the members said, hey, let's provide a beautiful funeral for this boy, let's contribute to the funeral. And so we did that through Miami Dade the chief, the director of Miami Dade, one of the chiefs, presented our check and in the morning that all the politicians were there, all the media were there, and that afternoon at 12 o'clock we were supposed to do a backpack drive through for those kids that now were starting college for the first time. So in the backpack we had computers. You know we had other items. There were 40 of them, so we had 40 computer.

Al:

Very hard to find the computers and those you know, a few weeks, months back, but it was, you know, a trunk party, so the trunk was open. We had law enforcement there. The law enforcement was handing out the backpacks, speaking to the people. They were handing out food as well and some clothing as well, and the press had asked media had asked that we move the time to 2 o'clock so they could attend. And so we did that and no politicians attended and no media was there because it did not bleed. But we had 14, 16 law enforcement officers who were there doing the work, taking the boxes, handing it out and speaking to the people, developing community relationships.

Joey:

Yeah. I love that, I mean if I can jump in, please can please.

Adrian:

yeah, adrian I've been standing here listening to uh great we don't.

Joey:

We didn't make you stand, we gave you a chair. No, I'm just kidding.

Adrian:

Go ahead, please, please um, but just that perception. And you know, and that's one of the things that I know god has put in our heart, is that the media could be wherever they want, the politicians could be wherever they want, and I can't control them. They want and I can't control them, but I could participate, you know. I could put a post and just say how upset I am and how horrible, and you know that's what everyone likes to do, and they feel strong that they put a post with their opinion. That did nothing, you know.

Adrian:

But you tie your shoes, you get up in the morning, get out the door and then go find a place to be involved with, and no matter what that might be. Someone might not be able to financially do some of the things, maybe even physically. Maybe physically they can't do some of the things. But and I get emotional but no one could say I can't do anything. At the very minimal, we could all pray. Yeah, you know, and I think people complain before they pray. And so, joey, if you want to continue, no, yeah, I get you, just show up.

Adrian:

Just show up to support.

Joey:

Say thank you. You know, we always pray that these things show up to support, say thank you.

Al:

We always pray that these things show up to pray. If you don't want to pray, that's fine, just show up.

Joey:

Yeah, we so appreciate what God's doing. This afternoon You're listening to God's Way Radio. We have a new guest a first-time, rather guest here in the studio, mr Al Eskenazi. Guest here in the studio, mr Al Eskenazi, of many things you know, but currently, or mainly rather, our conversation is kind of centering around the Greater Miami, miami Beach Police Foundation. He's also a husband to an amazing woman we just got to hear from her on the phone and that was a joy as well and already talking about how we can hear from her and what she's doing and some of the things that she's doing as well. We have Adrian you just heard from him a moment ago participate in the conversation. My name is Joey. It's a joy to be here and again, if you want a copy of this program, if you want to share it with people, if you want to have a copy for yourself, or if you have any follow-up questions or comments, please reach out to us. There's many ways to do so. Our. Please reach out to us. There's many ways to do so. Our website is godswayradiocom. If you're good with phone numbers, if you want to write it down, I'm going to give it to you. Here it goes. Our studio phone number is 786-313-3115. And then we're on social media as well.

Joey:

But getting back to our guest, mr Al Eskenazi, just looking at and so much that's going on here, you know, I thought of a story as you guys were mentioning things. I was driving down the street the other day and there was a car parked perpendicular in the lanes. In other words, you know, they made a right turn and just stopped in the middle of the street, literally in the middle of the street. So my first thought was somebody's hurt, something happened. My second thought was nobody's hurt, I'm inconvenienced, what's this person doing? I start getting frustrated. And then I saw what was happening. It was a seemed to be a middle-aged woman, had blocked traffic with her vehicle to walk an old lady across the street and I realized I was. You know, in Christianity, in our faith tradition, the word is convicted. You know, I sensed that God was looking at me going yeah good job, buddy.

Joey:

You know, look at you and I'm going, lord, I'm sorry. I prayed for them as I drove by. I was saying, can I help? You know, do I need to stop? But she kind of had it taken care of and, going kind of back through the conversation, how some whoever you are, you can do something, she helped this one old lady and, um and uh, we have a an ability, some sort of ability. So so very interesting and and and inspirational.

Joey:

You know, I think even the timing of this conversation is very interesting Elections coming up and news cycles and all of that, and how so much of that is out there. You know, people can't see my hand gestures, but out there, and sometimes it feels like I'm trying to be careful with my words, right, sometimes it feels like we can't do anything or there's only so much we can do for these big things. But we come back to, well, what can you do? You know what can you do. And so, al, you know you mentioned something and I don't want to put words in your mouth, so please correct me if this is incorrect you mentioned how you were able to do things now in this season of your life that you thought about as a teenager. I think you're referring to civil rights, you know, and so, as a teenager, you're already thinking about some of these things. What would you say to young people, teenagers, young adults that want to make a difference now?

Al:

Oh my gosh. You know I'm sensitive to the amount of time that we have, but I would say that one of you know I have to refer back to my age again. I'm 70 years old. I was born in 1950, raised in the 60s, experienced a great deal of life from my neighborhood. My schools were 50% black and 12% I think the number was Latino. So you know I'm used to mixed race circumstances and I think the greatest I'm very emotional about it One of the worst things that have ever happened to our society was and we talk about a Second Amendment being gone it was the First Amendment that's gone. In my opinion, my personal view, and why do I say that? Because back in the 60s I remember all sorts of circumstances of changing America. Now they weren't speaking about changing America as respects, you know, fairness or anything. They were speaking about changing America, the Constitution of America, and there were books being written and authors being that I could speak about that really fundamentally explained how to change America.

Al:

And basically it was denial and aggression, and the denial and the aggression taught students not, you know, little kids to challenge, and that's fine to challenge. But what we've done now in the high schools and the college levels, my opinion, personal opinion, is we've done away with Socrates and Plato and all these great thinkers, the Greek thinkers began the concept of conversation and dialogue In the sense that you have your opinion, I have my opinion. Let's discuss the two different opinions. Have my opinion, let's discuss the two different opinions and colleges. That's the breeding ground for conversation, for understanding, dialogue, debate clubs, so forth and so on. It's supposed to be, that's supposed to be. And today people will say I don't care about your opinion because we're going to shut you down if you have an opinion different than mine different than ours, and this is now prevalent across the college campuses.

Al:

So as a result of that, I call it the loss of the first amendment. Our media today is will not cover something if it's in opposition to their you know, I was going to say that their politics and so let me just say that if it's in opposition to their politics they won't cover it going kind of back through the conversation, how some, whoever you are, you can do something.

Joey:

She helped this one old lady and, um and uh, we have a, an ability, some sort of ability. So so very interesting and, and, and you know, I think even the timing of this conversation is very interesting Elections coming up and news cycles and all of that, and, to be careful with my words, right, sometimes it feels like we can't do anything or there's only so much we can do for these big things, but we come back to, well, what can you do? You know what can you do. And so, al, you know you mentioned something and I don't want to put words in your mouth, so please correct me if this is incorrect. Correct me if this is incorrect. You mentioned how you were able to do things now in this season of your life that you thought about as a teenager. I think you're referring to civil rights, you know, and so, as a teenager, you're already thinking about some of these things. What would you say to young people, teenagers, young adults that want to make a difference now?

Al:

Oh my gosh. You know I'm sensitive to the amount of time that we have, but I would say that one of you know I have to refer back to my age again. I'm 70 years old. I was born in 1950, raised in the 60s, experienced a great deal of life. 50, raised in the 60s, experienced a great deal of life. From my neighborhood, my schools were 50% black and 12% I think the number was Latino. So you know I'm used to mixed race circumstances and I think the greatest I'm very emotional about it One of the worst things that have ever happened to our society was we talk about a Second Amendment being gone. It was the First Amendment that's gone. In my opinion, my personal view and why do I say that? Because back in the 60s I remember all sorts of circumstances of changing America. Now they weren't speaking about changing America as respects, you know, fairness or anything. They were speaking about changing America, the Constitution of America, and there were books being written and authors being that I could speak about that really fundamentally explained how to change America.

Al:

And basically it was denial and aggression, and the denial and the aggression taught students not little kids to challenge, and that's fine to challenge. But what we've done now in the high schools and the college levels, my opinion, personal opinion, is we've done away with Socrates and Plato and all these great thinkers. The Greek thinkers began the concept of conversation and dialogue in the sense that you have your opinion, I have my opinion. Let's discuss the two different opinions and colleges. That's the breeding ground for conversation, for understanding, dialogue, debate, clubs, so forth and so on. It's supposed to be, that's supposed to be.

Al:

And today I don't care. You know people will say I don't care about your opinion because we're going to shut you down if you have an opinion different than mine, different than ours, and this is now prevalent across the college campuses. So as a result of that, I call it the loss of the First Amendment. Our media today will not cover something if it's in opposition to their you know I was going to say that their politics. And so let me just say that if it's in opposition to their politics, they won't cover it. And I'm not saying that to support one person or another person. I'm saying that separately of the political races.

Al:

Today we no longer create dialogue where we can have an honest discussion of different points of view and why. We have arguments and we have great amounts of sound bites. So, people that are close to me or friends of mine, I keep saying one thing unless you can have a dialogue with me, I don't want to have sound bites with you. Yeah, and so, as americans, as Latinos or as blacks, or as Italians, or as Germans or any Europeans or Asians or whatever it might be, come together in dialogue, simply dialogue, and listen.

Al:

Now I like to say give me a point of view that you want to express and I'll take the other side of it. I don't care what it is, whether I believe in it or I don't believe in it, but that's how you do it. I've had friends this year that had seven, eight people living with them because of Corona, and they're all of the same mindset. So I said why don't you have a game where, today, you take the opposite point of view? And that's what we need college campuses should have, should be an expression of, of all philosophies, yeah, so that kids get to, people get to understand it yeah, that, um, that I think it's uh that classical model of thinking and and learning.

Joey:

Uh, that idea. You described it very well. The idea of those classic thinkers was kind of bouncing things off of each other, versus just a teacher going on and you just kind of go uh-huh, uh-huh, uh-huh. It was conversational, I just want to read it. A thought came to mind the First Amendment to the Constitution of the United States of America Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion or prohibiting the free exercise thereof, or abridging the freedom of speech or of the press, or the right of the people peaceably to assemble and to petition the government for a redress of grievances. And so what I think I heard you say, al is young people, even teenagers, instead of getting stuck on one way of thinking, have a conversation, be open to other people's points of view and learn that way. Yeah, it's very simple.

Al:

It's very, very basic stuff, and the other aspect of that is don't pick on one or two subject matters. It's a 360 degree pie. You can't take a slice out and that's that's what I'm gonna. You know, that's my going to be my bunker hill well guys don't, young kids don't know what bunker hill is right.

Joey:

So that's going to be where I'm going to be my bunker hill. Well, guys don't, young kids don't know what bunker hill is right.

Al:

So that's going to be where I'm going to take my stand on this one slice of this uh pie. Well, what about the ramifications? You know, everything has consequences in life, right? So if I stand on one position immigration you know, using this stuff yes okay.

Al:

Well, what about the rest of what we're going through as a world body? As a world body, we are a massive cog in in this machine called the world. You, you have to look at all the dynamics going on in the world, in every part of the world. You have to look at the dynamics of the entire perspective of, of any of all subjects yeah, you know, believe it or not, we are running to the end of our time together.

Joey:

I had an idea of a time for for our conversation, to try to fit it into some slots here in the radio, and so again, uh, there's a website you want to know about. If you're listening right now, this is a recorded interview. I don't like using that word interview because it kind of intimidates people. Sometimes. We're just having a conversation and it happens to be recorded for all time. Go ahead.

Al:

Listen, I want it to be, clear yeah, this foundation is made up of just everyday people, people who said I want to participate, not just write a check. And these members that are involved with our foundation are committed to the heart and the soul and it's not simply writing a check. These are members that are very committed and I draw my inspiration from the people. I draw my inspiration from the people. I draw my inspiration from law enforcement.

Al:

I draw my inspiration from God and the spirituality of forget religion, if you want, but the spirituality, the morals and the ethics that it teaches, that we now move away from. There goes our society.

Joey:

Yeah, I appreciate that addition and that clarification. And, uh, you know the website, if you're listening. That you want to know is G M M B P Forg. It's the initials for the greater Miami Miami beach police foundation and there's a whole section there where you can read about not just Al but the different board members, the different members of the organization. There's a write-up there for the second person there on the list I don't have that particular page open, I think Mr Barry. There's a write-up on him to read about.

Al:

Barry Skolnick. Barry Skolnick provided the seed money for this foundation to take life, wow. And then followed by Peter Hochfelder. There's a wonderful group of people that gave this foundation life, and there are some people that I would like to mention. I'm not sure if they want me to mention them or not, so I won't. Okay, but this is not Al Eskenazi. This is all these people. This is Elaine de Valle, my wife. This is a lot of people that make this happen daily for sure and one of these things.

Adrian:

Joey, and it's good to know is you know we are involved with the chaplaincy in the City of Miami Police Department and Sweetwater Police Department and the way is we've gotten to know Al through some time. It wasn't by a name or by an organization, but it's by seeing him there.

Joey:

What's this guy doing here?

Adrian:

When Do the Right Thing is handing out? All these prizes to these amazing stories of kids that do very brave things and incredible things. I would see him. I didn't know who he was, but I would see him at the award ceremony, not just yeah, I'll help, but just promoting.

Joey:

Like he said, not just the check.

Adrian:

Promoting in the schools and I've heard of do the right thing since I was a kid.

Adrian:

And another interesting thing as we come to the end is this started about four years ago, but I think recently, in the last couple months we finished 36 months just now 36 months, we've seen that idea and how much of a need really there is for the community and for law enforcement, uh, to have a little bit more understanding of each other. No one knows of the phone calls during the riots that we would get in the middle of the night and I'm talking about guys going home at 12, one in the morning saying I can't go home right now. I, I have to talk to someone, I, you know, so, um, and then for, obviously, how much great, uh, um, great steps toward understanding for law enforcement to know, uh, for example, uh, someone with autism, you know. So it goes both ways.

Adrian:

This is not just the community needing to say you need to understand police officers more. You don't understand what they go through or telling police officers you just need to understand us more and what we're going through. It's there's a, an understanding on both sides, and that's just one, like you said, slice of the pie we got. We got a whole bunch of other pie here. It's, it's part of all the things that god will put before you. Maybe you're not involved with law enforcement, you know, but you're involved in something. You have a school, you have an office building and there's these things that go on in there too well.

Joey:

Well, what's amazing and, al, if you don't mind, we're going to end up probably talking about this later. It's just so interesting, the dots that are connected, the gentleman that would usually be sitting right here in this chair that I'm sitting here as we talk. His name is Victor and he is a behavior technician.

Al:

I think is his title.

Joey:

He works ABA. I think he still works. He's been on and off since working here at the church, but that is essentially his career and so it's so interesting. He's actually working with students now that's why he couldn't be here Students of different range, not all on the autism spectrum, but it's just so interesting how there's all these dots in life that are connected. I would say, if you're listening, if you're watching, so you wanted to say something, sir.

Al:

We are probably several days away from having a major announcement the foundation, the foundation yes. By the way, when I'm at Do the Right Thing Foundation, or at headquarters, or at these food pantries, it's not just me.

Joey:

Correct, it's all our members. Yes.

Al:

I cannot stress. You see me, but I represent them.

Adrian:

They are with me, absolutely.

Al:

We are coming out with a program if the lawyers don't mess it up for post-traumatic stress disorder. Ptsd. It's something that you know. It's funny how God works. He just leads you in directions and, through knowing some of the as many police officers as I do now and pastors that see things that the average man doesn't want to see, should not see, I walk up to an officer. He's in Manhattan, new York City. Last week I walked up to an officer standing on 43rd Street and 7th Avenue by himself and I walked up to him. I gave him my card and I said god bless you. I want you to know that your community loves you and stands by you and it do not believe what you read in the media, because the public loves you. He could not. He was a tough, tough guy who's got six foot three, six foot two, something like that big brawny guy. He started crying with tears, not just, not just his eyes welling up with it, they were coming down his cheek and we ended up hugging it out.

Al:

But this is post-traumatic stress disorder it's absolutely true I get a call from from an officer on his way home 2 30 in the morning. He calls me up. He says al, I don't, I'm sorry, I'm calling you, I don't know what else to do. He said I was a United States Marine.

Host:

I am a.

Al:

United States Marine, you know, retired.

Joey:

Once a Marine, always a Marine. That's correct I served the country.

Al:

I did what my government asked me to do. I went overseas. I did what was required. Now I'm a police officer of 20 years and I'm told that I'm garbage. I've never done anything immoral, unethical. I raised my children to understand the bible and understand why we say what we say in the bible, and now my children have to be persecuted online because their daddy's a uniformed officer. This isn't america. This isn't the way it should be. Something's terribly wrong and it's the loss of faith and religion yeah, I totally agree.

Joey:

And what it is. And again, trying to use the right language but still talk about truth and reality and hard things, what it is is prejudice. It is prejudice. People are claiming prejudice it's more.

Al:

It's more ignorance that leads to prejudice.

Joey:

It's prejudice against police officers. Take another Any group of people as an example. I'll use Adrian and myself. We'll put ourselves on the hot seat. Pastors, christian pastors yeah, there's some really terrible Christian pastors who I'm embarrassed of, and some terrible insurance guys who I'm embarrassed of and some terrible insurance guys who I'm embarrassed of. But it would be absolutely wrong for anyone to say every single Christian pastor is a bad person. You can't do that with anything, Pastor.

Al:

Let me tell you this Let me say this I'm in areas that people do not want to drive through. I'm on the ground, I'm in the street, I'm in the gutter, however you want to phrase it. I'm there because my heart takes me. There the Lord takes me there. I've yet, and I'm talking about Harlem, new York, Brownsville, new York.

Host:

East New York. I'm talking about.

Al:

Overtown, I'm talking about Liberty City, so forth and so on. I've yet to hear defund the police. I've yet to hear we want less police. I've yet to hear anything but praise. Now, yes, we need to continue to work on our younger police, but what's happening here now is we're compelling our senior people, the people who have the experience and the tolerance and the aptitude and the leadership we're compelling them to retire early. And that's not good for communities, correct, so?

Al:

you know what happens on media television. Print, whatever you know. Twitter, whatever it might be, is not the true feeling of our people.

Adrian:

Yeah, and don't take our word for it. Put on your shoes.

Joey:

Yeah.

Adrian:

Get up in the morning, go out the door.

Joey:

Yeah.

Adrian:

And go, go, put on your shoes.

Al:

yeah, get up in the morning, go out the door yeah and go, go, uh, your pastors all over south florida I'm sure would invite anyone to attend with them yeah, absolutely.

Joey:

And um, you know you have uh in in previous phone conversations, recent phone conversations between al myself it's joey here I have have Mr Alex Ganazzi at the table, adrian Caballero, you know him, and we're just continuing this conversation and you know, really I hadn't mentioned it yet, but this is that segment that you hear on God's Way Radio.

Joey:

Sometimes there's someone we'd like you to meet where we bring in friends, recent acquaintances, people that we've worked with, people that we think have value in their story, in their dealings, in their doings, maybe something that God is doing through them, maybe that's something they want to do for God, maybe something that they've just experienced that we think is valuable and beneficial.

Joey:

We bring them in, we talk, we record it, we share it with you and God's always been so good to really bless and lead and and bless, you know, really make something out of these conversations. So that's what this is today and, with all that said, you know, I just thank you again, al, for being here and it's been so good. And, and getting back to that thought that I was going towards that I almost lost is recent phone conversations and there's so many people in South Florida that are doing so many good things and we mentioned the possibility of having some of them at this table and learning more about what's going on in our community, and I really do look forward to that that. Feel free to mention right now whoever you would want to people in South Florida that are doing good things.

Al:

If you want to mention any of that now, it would be great. Oh boy, you know the people sitting right here. I mean you attend scenarios that are heartbreaking. Scenarios that are heartbreaking whether it's one-on-one with individuals or at a crime scene of sorts. So I tip my hat to both of you I really do and all the pastors that work with them.

Al:

I guess I have to truly point out Coach Demps from Ghouls. This is a man of God, he's a man of this country, he's a former military man, he has football programs down there and when he calls me, when he calls me with the passion that he has, I feel like I got to call a blessing. And the reason I say that is because he stands up to all adversity for the children. And officer Malcolm Moyes, miami city of Miami police department. Malcolm is a an officer of 20 plus years. He's dedicated his life to community relations, community affairs, and he is in Overtown. He's started track and field programs out of his own pocket and other programs. He's the guy that the principal will call to say this child has a problem, this child is failing. He'll visit the children at that, calling them children they're really most of these young adults. He'll go to their home. He'll help them, he'll buy them clothing, he takes them places, he teaches them, he mentors them, and I'm not talking about one here and one there, I'm talking about every single day of his life. He's mentoring these children and thanks to Major Al Guerra for allowing me to work with him as I do, and Chief Colina to to be available to these people to help them in any ways we can, in Overtown or wherever they may bring us.

Al:

I could go on and on naming people. Chief Larry Jurega, north Miami. On and on Captain Michael O Sullivan. New York State Police inspired me to begin a foundation called New York's Elite Police Foundation with the blessing of Superintendent Keith Corlett, police Foundation. With the blessing of Superintendent Keith Corlett. And, in New York City, chief of Department Terrence Monaghan, who allowed me to begin a program with Chief Madry and Deputy Inspector Perry to go into the streets of Harlem East, new York, brownsville, brooklyn, bringing them food, bringing them winter coats, doing whatever we can do in the name of bringing police and community together in the spirit of God. And also Pastor Reese, liberty City. Look what he does. He's not a man of means, he's a man that lacks means. He introduced me to Pastor JR this week Pastor Thompson, pastor Pam.

Joey:

Gregory Thompson yes, yeah, he's a chaplain for the city as well.

Al:

Yes, well, I tell you what he's a blessing to have he came to one of my board meetings as well, and he spoke to my. You know our members Our members are impassioned for this bringing law enforcement and communities together in times of distress and fraternity. These are fine, outstanding human beings and I'm privileged to be able to work with them.

Joey:

That's amazing. And, adrian, I think you had something.

Adrian:

Well, I was just going to mention, you know, one of the things that some of you listening to this radio station and we've announced it we actually aired live while the Solidarity ride was going on and Al had a participation in that. He wasn't here, he was in new york. If not he would have been the foundation and al and the foundation. Uh, he would have been out there, I'm sure, in his car, beeping the horn with flags, doing the same thing.

Joey:

So you haven't figured out yet how to be in two places at once.

Al:

I have, I have through skype telephones.

Joey:

Ah, yes.

Al:

So you can, there you go. You know it's again. It's about participating in any medium you can. I'm still dealing in New York. Tomorrow we have a very big food drive in New York that we're doing. I'm here, but we're doing it there. So embody soul and spirit.

Joey:

Yes, yes, yes, and I'm sorry I've interrupted.

Adrian:

Adrian. Well, so that solidarity right against some of you would be aware of it and hopefully you were, um, you know, and that was the community. We didn't want, uh, anything in particular except community showing law enforcement, and we called it solidarity right because it's not only that, but it was law enforcement department with law enforcement department. So we had miami going over to miami beach to show them support, and the beach uh coming over to miami, and and all the other departments you know, um, and then one of the interesting things, uh, on that note, is the fire in the beach recently fire department the fire department, not the fire there wasn't a fire.

Joey:

It not the fire.

Al:

There wasn't a fire. There was not a fire.

Adrian:

The fire department, I think, now carries blue line flags on their, on some or at least you know Of their rigs, Of their trucks. It's a brotherhood in the beach that when they drive and see that they, they, they just they feel empowered and and they feel so good because they don't get that, uh, verbal recognition sometimes and and uh, so that solidarity ride and, and you know, police, thank youcom, is is, you know, you can see a little video on there. I think it came out on some other medias but, um, the best place I could point you to is is that place, police, thank youcom, and it has a little video of that ride. And so, just, you know, those are little things and that was started with an idea, a thought, but you put on your shoes and you make it happen, you go out there and do it and they were very encouraged with it. So thank you for that participation as well.

Al:

You don't understand. We do it because of the blessing and the honor of it. But, for instance, thanksgiving is coming up. My members got together and we said we want to exceed our turkeys that we gave out. Last year. We gave out about 800 to 1,000. We're probably going to be doing 2,000 turkeys between New York and here, we gave out during the epidemic. We gave out 70,000 face masks in March and April. It's that kind of group that the foundation is. You know we did 800. Town Senator Shamus gave us 810 pounds of clothing.

Joey:

That we gave out to the homeless.

Al:

We have homeless veterans coming up. The point of it is it takes a community. You, gentlemen, as pastors, you reach the community and I encourage you members and your listeners to call you and say how can I participate?

Joey:

Yes, yes, absolutely. So I was aiming for a time here and we've doubled it. So that's good. We have two programs worth.

Joey:

And seriously, I say that with joy, with tremendous joy, because and I look across the table, mr Alice Gnazzi, I look across at Adrian, and if people haven't gotten it yet, you know we have different faith traditions, but we're sitting at this table together. Yet you know we have different faith traditions, but we're sitting at this table together, we're enjoying each other's conversation and we're learning from each other. And all that to say that I really believe that God answered our prayer again today. I think he's really blessed this recording.

Joey:

I think there's so much of value here that if people are paying attention, they can glean from and really do something within their own lives. And so, you know, we here at God's Way radio, we, we love God, we want to connect people with, with God, and we want to look at Jesus and his word. And I just want to end with with this Bible verse. Well, first of all, before I end with the Bible verse, mr Al Eskenazi, I want to give you an opportunity for any closing remarks that you would want to leave us with, and then I want to end with this scripture Well, the closing remarks would simply be understand your fellow man.

Al:

You put yourself in his position before you judge him, if you have to judge him at all. The three greatest documents in the world ever created in my personal estimation ever created in my personal estimation is the Talmud, the Bible and incredible document called the United States Constitution. 244 years it's been solid. We're the oldest democracy republic with a constitution that has survived that. We can't monkey around with that every time a new administration comes in. Leave it be. It's an imperfect document but it's got us 244 years and our members are of all faiths and religions and we want to bring people to people. That's what we want to do understanding in any way, shape or form, and you know you guys any way, shape or form, and you know you guys are doing great by doing these things.

Joey:

Thank you. Thank you so much. And yeah, for clarification, the Greater Miami, miami Beach Police Foundation is. How do I say this? I don't speak for you, for them, right? This is God's Way Radio the scripture, the emphasis on Jesus. This is God's Way Radio, the scripture, the emphasis on Jesus. And I appreciate you again being here with us and being a guest here in our radio home. I really do appreciate it and I'm excited because your closing remarks, I think, are echoed right here. I'm so excited about this and we didn't plan this, anybody listening, we didn't plan this. So let me just read this and then I'll send you off our listening family.

Joey:

Teacher, what is the greatest commandment in the law? And he said to him you shall love the Lord, your God, with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and foremost commandment. The second is like it you shall love your neighbor as yourself. On these two commandments depend the whole law and the prophets. That's how Jesus answered that question. Question what is the greatest commandment? So with that we we say thank you for your participation today, for your listening ear, hopefully, for your open mind and heart.

Joey:

And again you have been listening to a previously recorded conversation with alice ganazi. Uh, currently of, or what was the main point of our conversation, is the greater miami miami beach police foundation. They have their website. Let me pull it up for you here. It's pretty simple. It's the initials of the foundation and that would be g, m, m, b, p, f, dot, o, r, g, dot, org. Uh, we also mentioned another, another website to see what's going on in the community police, thank youcom, to see some things that are going on in the community. And, of course, you can always just come back here to god's way radio to ask your questions, ask for information or even a copy of this program. I always encourage people, uh, to do that. I don't get a lot of takers, uh, but we would, would definitely be glad to send you a copy digitally so that you can share this with people, so that you can re-listen to it as well.

Joey:

Our website is GodsWayRadiocom and you can always call our studio. You should save it, save the number, so you can call the studio anytime. Put us on speed dial if you'd like. Here's the number 786-313-3115. So a big thank you to God, a big thank you to Al, to Adrian, and we just continue. Thank you, thank you, and we just continue to look for what God wants to do in our community here. Miami Florida. W-a-y-g-l-p 104.7. God's Way Radio A-Y-G-L-P 104.7.

Host:

God's Way Radio. Thanks for listening today. If you have any questions or would like to get in contact with us, visit policethankyoucom. You'll also find information on how you can support the mission of Ask a Cop. We'd also ask that you subscribe to our podcast on your favorite platform and if you're enjoying these conversations, let us know, and be sure to join us again here on Ask a Cop.