June 11, 2025 – In a celebration befitting the end of school and the beginning of summer vacation, the
students at 99th Street Elementary School in South Los Angeles made good on a deal with Captain Phillip Tingirides of Southeast Division and read more than 52,000 books throughout the 2009-2010 school year as part of the “Family Fridays” reading improvement program. As part of the deal, Captain Tingirides agreed to color his hair and then shave it off in front of the more than 600 students, teachers, staff and officers in attendance.
With the color chosen by the students, a bright pink adhesive was sprayed onto the head of Captain
Tingirides as the children watched and cheered. Once coated in pink, Police Chief Charlie Beck, Mayor Antonio Villraigosa and others took turns shaving the Captains head until it was completely bald. Once Captain Tingirides came through on his end of the bargan, the children were treated to In-N-Out Hamburgers courtesy of donations made by local community businesses, parents, teachers and Department personnel.
The Family Fridays reading improvement program began 2 years ago as the “Doughnuts and Dads” reading program. While in its infancy stages, organizers at the school noticed
there were not enough dads available to participate so they reached
out to Captain Tingirides at Southeast Division and a partnership was
born. The program was changed to “Family Fridays” and included family
members as well as Southeast Division officers who volunteered their
time to go to the school once a week and read with and too the
students. The program has been growing in popularity at the school
ever since.
The Department would like to congratulate the students at 99th Street Elementary School for a job well done and thank the teachers and parents for their continued involvement in promoting reading and learning.
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