California Police Chief- Fall 2013 CPCA_2019_Spring Magazine- FINAL | Page 15
Sisters hoped to introduce a positive male role model into
Jacob’s life, someone who could be a calming influence,
provide motivation and encourage his dream of one day
working in law enforcement. Bigs with Badges is an ideal
program for youth like Jacob, who are at an impressionable
age where opinions of police are shaped by family, peers
and media.
Mentoring is also beneficial to the personal
development of youth facing adversity. In the Big Brothers
Big Sisters program locally, 68 percent of youth participants
live below the poverty line, which puts them at greater risk
for poor academic achievement, behavioral and emotional
problems, chronic health issues and developmental delays.
Half are being raised by single parents, grandparents, a
sibling or foster parents, also contributing to greater health
and education challenges.
With a mentor, higher educational goals can be set
and attained. Last year, 99 percent of the Big Brothers Big
Sisters class of 2018 graduated high school, compared to
the state average of 83 percent (California Department of
Education, 2018). Indicative of the generational change
that is possible through mentoring, 74 percent of the Big
Brothers Big Sisters graduates were the first generation
in their family to finish high school. Studies show that
participants in the nationwide program have the potential
to earn, on average, $315,000 more over the course of their
lifetime compared to low-income peers who did not have a
mentor (Boston Consulting Group, 2013). These individuals
who benefit from mentorship at a young age help change
their communities as adults by being gainfully employed,
donating to charity and volunteering their time to better
the next generation.
For 12-year-old Jacob, the first step on his mentorship
journey began when he was matched with a sergeant with
the Buena Park Police Department last year. Immediately
after program launch, officers and civilian employees from
the department jumped at the opportunity to volunteer
and connect with disadvantaged youth. This program also
serves as a way to get police officers more involved in the
community in a non-enforcement role and develop positive
relationships with families in the city they serve.
While the long-term benefits will become greater
defined as the program matures and mentor-mentee
relationships grow, all partners are confident that Bigs with
Badges will help children view police officers in a different
light. Their positive experiences through the program will
lead them to tell friends and family that cops are people,
too. Ultimately, youth engagement is the path to erase
the “us versus them” mentality that exists between law
enforcement and the community. We believe Bigs with
Badges is a positive path to understanding, trust, and
safety in Buena Park. ■
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– Officer Frank Garza
Placentia Police Department, CA
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