[Congressional Record Volume 158, Number 150 (Wednesday, November 28, 2012)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1823]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                         TRIBUTE TO ERIC ADAMS

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. EDOLPHUS TOWNS

                              of new york

                    in the house of representatives

                      Wednesday, November 28, 2012

  Mr. TOWNS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute and to honor Eric 
L. Adams, a former Captain of the New York City Police Department and 
current member of the New York State Senate.
  As a Captain in the NYPD, Eric Adams became well-known to New Yorkers 
as a tireless and thoughtful advocate for the people and communities he 
served, and he earned widespread praise for creating innovative 
programs on issues ranging from conflict resolution to child abuse 
prevention. Eric Adams co-founded 100 Blacks in Law Enforcement Who 
Care, a group comprised of law enforcement personnel and their 
supporters, to provide assistance and subsidies to community-based 
organizations that strive to improve their neighborhoods. He also is a 
former Chairperson of the Grand Council for the Guardians and serves on 
the board of the Eastern District Counseling Service, an organization 
that assists former substance abusers to live productive lives without 
dependency on drugs or alcohol. On November 7, 2006, Captain Adams 
ended his 22-year career in the New York City Police Department; Eric 
L. Adams traded his blue uniform for a blue suit when the resident of 
the 20th Senatorial District elected him to the New York State Senate.
  Eric Adams is well known for his efforts in closing the gap through 
changing relationships between law enforcement and the residents of New 
York's diverse neighborhoods. His highly-regarded instructional 
workshops, ``What To Do When Stopped By The Police,'' has helped 
thousands of young people throughout New York learn to interact more 
appropriately with the police by using established conflict resolution 
skills. The forums have been duplicated throughout the country and 
provided a generation of youngsters with a better understanding of 
reliable methods to resolve difficult conflicts--not only with the 
police, but also with teachers, peers, and others. Senator Adams also 
created a series of free public safety seminars for New York City 
parents to address issues including gang awareness and child abuse 
prevention and to review methods to protect children from abduction. He 
also created an annual ``Cradle to College'' Parent and Youth 
Empowerment Seminar to empower families and enable parents to build 
upon their progeny's strengths to avoid the pitfalls of youth.
  Mr. Speaker, may our country continue to benefit from the civic 
actions of committed and laudable community leaders such as Eric L. 
Adams.
  Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to join me in paying tribute to New 
York State Senator Eric Adams.

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