Los Angeles: Five Los Angeles Police Department
officers and a group of 10- to 15-year-old kids from a Watts housing
project are headed to Cleveland, OH, to meet and have dinner with NBA
player Lebron James and his teammates.
Captain Phillip Tingirides, Sergeant James Linder, Detective Donna
Wheeler and Police Officers Keith Linton and Maribel Plascencia are
involved in a South Los Angeles mentoring program called Project Dream.
The program’s purpose is to give inner-city kids a chance to interact
with the police in a positive way and stay out of trouble. It also
strives to inspire productivity and the achievement of educational
goals…objectives officers believe are the building blocks of safer
communities.
Officers Linton and Plascencia can relate to the enormous obstacles
these children face on a daily basis, having been raised in poverty in
similar environments yet overcoming their challenges through
determination and perseverance. And now, as living examples of life’s
possibilities, they’re helping kids by sharing their experience and
inspiration.
On April 9, 2010, all four LAPD personnel and 10 children from the Watts
area are scheduled to travel to Cleveland with officers to meet All
Star basketball players, watch an NBA basketball game, visit several
places and meet with the mayor of Cleveland.
Opportunities for media coverage:
- 6 p.m. media opportunity to interview officers at Southeast Division
- 7 p.m. media availability to interview kids at Southeast Division
- 8 p.m. kids depart in limo from Southeast Station
A five minute video footage of Watts 180 is available below.
For more information, calls may be directed to the LAPD Media Relations Section at 213-486-5910.
Comments