some of the ofcrs here (Thompson, Swift) have been w/ the program since the start & have gone above & beyond for youth. but what folks are asking is why don't we see building the capacity & power of all the community members who want to be doing youth work as part of the healing? https://twitter.com/WattsRams/status/1288332339106390016

While there are real issues with CSP that we can point to, these officers drove kids to and from practice, made sure they did their homework, were mentors and willing to answer the phone when needed.... all really great things which should not be part of policing.

Folks I know that grew up in the area and that have an intense desire to give back cannot get the resources to get their own programs off the ground. Or they are always scrambling to stay afloat.

Sherika Simms, who saw her brother gunned down in front of her, has been wanting to launch a non-profit healing effort for people who lost siblings to violence since before I met her in 2013. She's still trying to get it off the ground.
https://la.streetsblog.org/2013/11/06/death-and-all-his-friends-cast-long-shadows-when-they-make-regular-appearances-in-the-public-space/

But when I met her, she was employed by Summer Night Lights. She made minimum wage at a part-time job serving the kids of all the ppl she grew up with & who love & trust her. And then bc they cut back on SNL stuff, she had to find something else...all while coached football.