LAPD Puts Final Touches On New Youth Mentoring Facility
HOLLYWOOD (CBS) — An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure, yes?
To that end, the Los Angeles Police Department wants to reach out to young kids before they get the idea that a life of crime or gang activity is the way to go.
A new, state-of-the-art facility -- Tomorrow's Future -- is getting the final touches before officially opening next week...computers, games, work stations, tutors, guest speakers, training...all being offered at this Hollywood location.
For many kids expected to take part in the program, English is their second language and many homes don't have computers.
Captain Beatrice Girmala, commanding officer of the Hollywood division, thinks it's vital to reach kids before they become economically vulnerable to gangs.
She told KCAL9 and CBS2 reporter Amy Johnson, the storefront was chosen for strategic purposes. "Within about five or six square blocks from where we are right now," Girmala said, "we have gangs and tagging crews that often compete for the children's time and attention. And we have four schools in the nearby area."'
Girmala hopes the LAPD's good will will hit home, literally. "We're just not the black-and-white driving through. We're not just the people they see putting up crime scene tape. We're much more than that."
The hours of the new facility (5824 Santa Monica Boulevard, at Van Ness) are expected to be 2 p.m. to 8 p.m.
The program is funded by community donations and the Hollywood Police Support Association. For more about the HPSA, click here.
