Brookline's Youngest Police Chief Is Fifth Grader

BROOKLINE, MA — The Brookline Police Department had a new chief for a day — and she's a fifth grader. Now in its third year, the Brookline Police Chief for a Day competition challenges fifth graders across Brookline to write a 500-word essay. The winner becomes Brookline Police's "chief for the day."

The first year's essay question focused on public safety in Brookline, last year it was bullying. This year the committee asked contestants to identify a problem in Brookline and describe what they would do as the police chief to resolve it.

In response, they got a heavy hitter in a winning essay from Pierce Elementary School's Zoë Galaburda.

Zoë focused on the March acts of graffiti at St. Mary of Assumption and the egging of Temple Ohabei Shalom noting it was part of a rise in crimes toward houses of worship across the U.S.

"People should feel safe in the places where they chose to express their religion," she wrote.

Zoë outlined two ways to prevent something like this happening again in Brookline. The first proposal was by increasing police patrols near houses of worship.

"This will make people feel safer. AND it will stop people from committing hate crimes because they will get in big trouble if they commit a hate crime and a police officer sees or maybe even stops them," she wrote.

Her second idea? Teach students about this when they're young.

"If we educate kids about religious freedom and tolerating difference in America and how hate crimes are illegal and disrespectful maybe my generation will help the number of hate crimes go down. The most recent research shows that in 2017 hate crimes spiked 17%, and are just getting higher. The average number of hate crimes in 2017 was 7,175 hate crimes. If police officers, volunteers or even older students could come to classrooms and educate kids I think it would really decrease hate crimes in Brookline and America."

Zoë was "sworn in" as an officer Friday at her school and participated in a few scenarios to give her a feel for a day in the life on the police force in June, including an arrest.

She also got to wear a police uniform and officers that are on duty addressed her as "chief."

The late Lt. June Murphy thought up the contest as a way to introduce children to local law enforcement through the positive experience. When she passed away suddenly two years ago, the department kept it going in her honor.

Officer Dana Inchierca who chairs the committee said there were some real contenders in the mix of essays this year. In the end it came down to three very strong essays.

"After much discussion we selected Zoe's essay for several reasons," he said. "The topic she chose, hate crimes, specifically religion based, was current and relevant both on a local level and on a global level."

There was clearly a personal element on this topic for Zoe, he said.

"And finally, her proposed solutions of police presence as a deterrent and youth education as a preventative solution were right on the money of how tolerance in a society is created and maintained. It is very humbling to take a step back every once in a while and view the world through the eyes of our children."

Read about past Brookline Police Chief For A Day winners:

• Brookline Chief For A Day 2018: Emily Snyder
• The Youngest Brookline Police Chief 2017

Patch reporter Jenna Fisher can be reached at Jenna.Fisher@patch.com or by calling 617-942-0474. Follow her on Twitter and Instagram (@ReporterJenna).