On the heels of our town hall meeting on crime earlier this week the conversation now centers around prevention. And that's why several valley groups say fighting crime starts with children.
Rey Wallace is a retired Fresno police officer. For him, what was supposed to be a temporary position turned into a lifetime one. He's with PAL, Police Activities League, and its goal is to keep kids engaged.
"I don't know why so much emphasis is put on arresting. If we can prevent them they you don't have to arrest them," said Wallace.
And it's not just PAL doing good work. SAL, Sheriff's Activities League, performs a similar service. It operates out of 4 communities in the county.
And there's a new program in Madera County called RadKIDS. Which stands for Resisting Aggression Defensively. It's an anti-bullying campaign that is more about empowering kids and improving their self-esteem.
A lot of these programs are self-funded and are always struggling to find resources. Here's how you can get in touch with them.
Fresno PAL: http://fresnopal.org/index2.html
SAL: http://www.fresnosheriff.org/foundation/foundation.htm
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