Program gives kids a peek at life as a cop
Monday, July 5, 2010
Cesia Gutierrez holds on to a rope to walk along a wire while fellow cadets spot her.
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Two dozen San Francisco teenagers are getting a glimpse of what it takes to be a police officer this summer through a new Police Activities League program intended to create a pipeline from the local streets into city law enforcement.
The organization has served 5,000 city youth a year for 51 years, mostly through sports and community activities. Now Police Department and PAL officials want to expand the program to align it with Chief George Gascón's community policing efforts, said PAL leader Lorraine Woodruff-Long.
There's a greater emphasis on a "grow-your-own" approach to San Francisco's future police force, with renewed support for the youth program from police leadership and neighborhood stations, she said.
Not that the organization hasn't served as an avenue for youth to become police officers in the past.
Police Capt. David Lazar credited the PAL program for his 19-year-and-counting career
The organization has served 5,000 city youth a year for 51 years, mostly through sports and community activities. Now Police Department and PAL officials want to expand the program to align it with Chief George Gascón's community policing efforts, said PAL leader Lorraine Woodruff-Long.
There's a greater emphasis on a "grow-your-own" approach to San Francisco's future police force, with renewed support for the youth program from police leadership and neighborhood stations, she said.
Not that the organization hasn't served as an avenue for youth to become police officers in the past.
Police Capt. David Lazar credited the PAL program for his 19-year-and-counting career
Read more: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2010/07/05/BAE71E84IG.DTL&type=education#ixzz0soo4vQPV
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