Former photographer Gary McCarthy received the Merit Award for best news picture and former intern Jaivon Grant won the Merit Award for best youth writer.

Gary McCarthy

The National Newspapers Association is an association of more than 200 African-American-owned community newspapers from around the country.

Larry Taylor

Larry Taylor has been elected to the board of directors of the African-American Board Leadership Institute.

Taylor has served as a practice leader and senior consulting manager for Ernst & Young and Deloitte & Touche, two professional services firms. He has more than 40 years of consulting, training, auditing and management experience in the manufacturing, service, government and international assistance sectors.

Larry Dozier

Larry Dozier, of the Dozier Family singing group, has been selected to serve as pastor at St. John’s United Methodist Church in Watts. He preached his first sermon on July 3.

He currently serves as an executive with the United Methodist Men at the national level. He has extensive experience speaking to men’s groups and at other church functions. Dozier’s background is in communications, as he retired in 2008 as the official spokesman of the U.S. Postal Service in the Los Angeles basin.

Compiled by Anne Artley.

Cheers! features the everyday accomplishments of everyday people in South Los Angeles. To submit an item, send an email (with picture) to newsroom@wavepublication.com.

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Several dozen people joined the rappers outside police headquarters in downtown Los Angeles where the graduation ceremony was held, featuring Mayor Eric Garcetti and LAPD Chief Charlie Beck as speakers.

After the ceremony, the rappers met with Garcetti and Beck privately and then addressed the media at a news conference.

“If you are a human being and you have ears and eyes to see, this is a day of change,” The Game said during the news conference following the meeting.

“I think that we need to take responsibility as a human race and accept the role as peace-givers and people that distribute love and change throughout this city,” he said, adding that he believes Los Angeles can be a “flagship” for cities around the world, and a showing of peace and unity here will resonate around the world.

“I know that together we can unify Los Angeles,” he said.

The Game and Snoop Dogg both said they were unaware there was an LAPD recruit graduation scheduled, and they only planned to gather at police headquarters in a show of unity. But the ceremony made the gathering more pointed, as a sign of building relationships with officers as they prepare to go on duty for the first time.

“This is even better because now these students that are about to hit the streets can know that there is some sort of dialogue going on and they don’t have to be fearful,” Snoop Dogg said. “And they can do their jobs and know that when you stop somebody you’re a conversation away from sending them home or taking them to jail, but the conversation is key.”

Snoop Dogg said the idea behind the gathering outside police headquarters was “not to bash the police but to come up here and get some dialogue and some communication.”

“We all represent the same cause and we all want to go home to our families,” he said. “Today was a first step of many steps. We are here to show love and support to the police force in Los Angeles and get some understanding and communication, and we feel like this is a great start.”

Garcetti called it an “extraordinarily powerful meeting.”

“If we can, on the streets, say that peace and love is the only way forward — the lives we can save,” he said.

Beck, standing alongside The Game and Snoop Dogg, said, “It doesn’t look like my usual public safety press conference does it? It’s not.”

“We are too violent a society. Violence begets violence. It is time to put down our arms and start the dialogue. We have to go forward from today as human beings, as Americans, as partners. Put aside the things that divide us and come together on the things that bind us — our desire to leave Los Angeles a better place than we found it, our mutual desire to have our kids grow up in a place where they can’t expect violence at every turn.

“I couldn’t be prouder to stand in front of you today and say we are on that path in Los Angeles, but it’s going to take everybody. It’s going to take leadership and it’s going to take hard work.”

Snoop Dogg told reporters earlier outside LAPD headquarters he wanted to ensure that rookie officers — like those who graduated today — “know who they’re dealing with.”

“A lot of times these officers hit the streets in communities where they have never encountered a gang member or someone who had a different kind of background,” he told KNX Newsradio. “Today it’s a bunch of guys up here who come from those communities who want to show them we’re cool, we’re peaceful. We’re here in love.”

He said the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department does a better job of training its deputies for work on the streets, because they generally begin working in the county jail.

By contrast, LAPD officers are often sent into gang-plagued neighborhoods straight out of the academy.

“They’re scared, they’re nervous, and when they encounter someone, they automatically feel they must use violence as opposed to communication,” he said.

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Cream and gold dress attire is suggested, but not required at the service, his granddaughter, Latoya Jones, said.

Jones died June 25 after a long illness. He was 83.

Black business leaders

plan Hall of Fame

LOS ANGELES — The inaugural Los Angeles Black Business Leaders Hall of Fame will be held from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. July 21 at the Huntington Library, 1150 Oxford Road, San Marino.

Hosted by the Hart Leadership Center and presented by City National Bank, the event will honor the achievements of men and women in the black business community of Los Angeles who have dedicated their lives to the advancement and realization of equality in all industries.

Mellody Hobson, the president of Ariel Industries, the largest black-owned financial management organization in the country, will be the featured speaker.

Information: (714) 458-3064.

Seminar focuses

on business financing

WATTS — Wattstar’s Entrepreneur Collaborative is holding a free seminar: “Dollars & Sense: Business Financing Forum” from 2 to 4 p.m. July 9 at Ted Watkins Memorial Park Auditorium, 1335 E. 103rd St.

The forum will focus on alternative funding resources for those who have been turned down.

Register at www.wattstar.org.

Airport to hold

contracting forum

LOS ANGELES — The Los Angeles World Airports Landslide Modernization Program (LAMP) is hosting a small business forum from noon to 4:30 p.m. July 12 at the Concourse LAX Hotel, 6225 W. Century Blvd.

The event is tailored to the local contracting community and will provide information on how businesses can become part of the LAMP program.

Register at LAWASmallBusinessForum.eventbrite.com.

Nonprofit hosts

technology sessions

SOUTH LOS ANGELES — The Vermont-Slauson Economic Development Corporation is presenting a series on technology and social media, in partnership with the Black Business Association, at the Business Enterprise Center, 6109 Western Ave.

“Intro to Computer/Internet Fundamentals will take place from 11:40 a.m. to 1 p.m. July 9, and the workshop “Web Site Design” will be held from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. July 12. “Managing Customer Relationships-Mail Chimp, Constant Contact” is from 7:45 to 9:30 p.m. July 12.

RSVP at lelliott@vsedc.org or call (323) 789-4515. Seating is limited.

Victims’ support

group to meet

SOUTH LOS ANGELES — Community organizations are hosting a support group for families of murder victims from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. July 11, at the Los Angeles Police Department’s 77th Street Division, 7600 S. Broadway, in the Community Room.

The hosts are Justice for Murdered Children, Project Cry No More, Justice for Homicide Victims and LAURA.

Information: jfmc1995@yahoo.com.

Repairs planned

for Crenshaw Blvd.

CRENSHAW — As part of the Crenshaw/LAX Transit Project, the Metropolitan Transportation Authority will be rebuilding the curbs, gutters and sidewalks on Crenshaw Boulevard between 52nd and 54th streets through July 18. Work will take place between 7:30 a.m. and 3:30 p.m. Monday through Friday.

The southbound frontage road will be closed to allow for removal and replacements of the curb and gutter. During this segment, the sidewalk will be closed except for a five-foot section that will remain in place for pedestrian access. Driveway access and access for emergency responders will also be maintained. Parking restrictions will be implemented.

Once complete, the streetscape will include new median landscaping, trees, streetlights, traffic signals and a repaved roadway.

Free meals provided

for local children

SOUTH LOS ANGELES — The FNCF Community Development Corporation is providing free meals for children ages 18 and younger on weekdays from 7 to 8 a.m. and 11:45 a.m. to 1 p.m. at First New Christian Fellowship Baptist Church, 1555 W. 108^th St.

The meals are a component of the Summer Food Service Program, sponsored by the California Department of Education’s Nutrition Services Division.

Information: (323) 756-2541.

Family health

fair planned

SOUTH LOS ANGELES — South L.A. Projects/WIC invites the public to the remodeled Florence WIC Center, 501 E. Florence Ave., for a family health and resource fair from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. July 14.

Those attending can take a tour of the center. Children can receive free child health screenings. Adults can enroll themselves or their children in WIC, CalFresh and Medi-Cal if they are eligible. Parents can request a referral to Head Start or childcare. Information about free services in L.A. County will be available.

Information: (310) 661-3080.

Compiled by Anne Artley.

L.A. Digest is designed to help promote events, activities and initiatives that are serving the interests of residents in L.A. To submit an item, send emails to newsroom@wavepublication.com.

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Those were the responses by those attending a town hall meeting called by the leaders of the Substance Abuse Prevention Coalition of South Los Angeles that was conducted June 30 at the Community Coalition’s offices on Vermont Avenue.

Hundreds of parents, students and other constituents provided feedback to coalition officials on how its seven-member organizations can work together to decrease the use and abuse of drugs and alcohol among youth and remove barriers to residents’ health and well-being.

The substance abuse coalition serves County Service Planning Area 6, encompassing South Los Angeles, Watts, Crenshaw, Compton, Lynwood, Paramount, Athens, Florence and Hyde Park.

In polling conducted at the town hall, respondents identified liquor stores, gangs, inadequate after-school youth activities and support services as barriers contributing to crime in their neighborhoods.

Tyra Goodman, administration director of the Community Coalition, said, “We talk to the community, conduct surveys and assessment, ask people what would help prevent access and availability of alcohol to youth and what would change social norms around illicit drug use, particularly marijuana.

“We ask them what would be beneficial, especially regarding the Substance Abuse and Control grant we’re working on with the county”” Goodman added.

Professor Cheryl Grills conducted one such outreach effort for the substance abuse coalition in April and May of this year and found overlap with the town hall’s poll results.

The Loyola Marymount University professor surveyed almost 1,000 high school students and parents, identifying risk factors and the assets and resources supportive of South L.A. youth and residents.

“Risk factors or barriers “interfere with health and well-being while protective factors improve them and support resilience — they almost inoculate us,” Grills said.

Grills’ survey found that “gangs and access to and availability of alcohol and marijuana at liquor stores and marijuana shops, respectively, are top barriers, followed by litter and graffiti, and dirty or unsafe parks.”

South Los Angeles residents packed the Community Coalition’s headquarters June 30 for a town hall meeting to discuss alcohol and substance abuse problems in the community, particularly as they pertain to young people. (Photo courtesy of Fifth Avenue Times)

Half of the adults and one-third of the youth respondents said that the presence of marijuana shops in the community send a message that “it’s ok to use [marijuana] since it’s [almost] legal.”

“Access and availability of alcohol and marijuana … increase the likelihood that youth and residents will get involved in criminal or gang activities or substance use and abuse problems,” Grills added.

The assessment also asked youth what they want after school and what they want from their schools.

During after-school hours, “South L.A. youth said they want recreational and enriching opportunities; academic and career work readiness and essential life skills programs that can promote positive health and personal development.”

“Notably, the youth said they want non-traditional school hours, in addition to school wellness services; programs for family and community violence; intern apprenticeships; work experience; and adult mentoring — not a generic or ‘one-size fits all’ high school educational experience,” Grills said.

The professor said the small sample limits the “generalizability of findings for the SPA 6 area,” but “if you are going to talk about prevention or any kind of service, you must have holistic solutions and be able to do multiple things that get at the meat of what makes healthy people and communities.”

Goodman agreed.

“Issues are linked,” she said. “Homelessness, mental health and substance abuse, for example, are factors in community health and well-being.  You can’t focus on just one area.”

Juana Rosa Cavero said the Advancement Project’s “justice equity neighborhood index measures the need for justice equity in communities that are disproportionately impacted by the criminal justice system.”

“We talk about investment in communities of high need,” Cavero said. “We need to invest the dollars the most in those communities. They have high levels of unemployment, violent crime, poverty and residents lacking a high school diploma.

“If we are able to work on this and change those current conditions, we could change the outcomes of our communities. Eventually, we can completely and radically transform the criminal justice system so it works best for our communities,” she said.

Each of the providers in the substance abuse coalition contracts separately with Los Angeles County to do comprehensive prevention services, Goodman said.

“They have their own work programs,” she added.

“The county recently renewed [Community Coalition’s] $2.1 million grant for environmental services and [comprehensive prevention services] funds. As the leader of the [substance abuse] coalition, we receive both grants,” Goodman said.

“We use the [environmental services] funds to work with residents in the area of nuisance abatement. In our comprehensive prevention service programs, we have a youth group that meets at Fremont High School. We conduct preventative activities and discuss alcohol and marijuana abuse prevention. We make referrals to our partner agencies,” she added.

“In regard to Proposition 47, we are trying to inform and substantiate the resources and services needed to help with issues of recidivism and rehabilitation to make certain that people are not returned to the streets with nothing to do or with no resources or services.”

“These are services the community thinks would be helpful: making sure that you serve those people who return home. We want to make this information available to our council districts and make presentations to neighborhood councils,” Goodman added.

The six other coalition members are the Avalon Community Center, MJB Transitional Recovery, People Coordinated Services, South Central Prevention Coalition, Volunteers of America and Watts Healthcare Corporation.

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Earl Ofari Hutchinson, president of the Los Angeles Urban Policy Roundtable, acknowledges the step that has been taken cosmetically to correct the gender and racial criticism the Academy has received and how it still protects the white male dominance of the industry.

The skewed attitudes and policies toward minorities are still at play and this will not change “until there is a massive restructure of the Academy board, membership and voting procedures as well as the creation of more opportunities for minorities in front of and behind the cameras,” Hutchinson said.

Academy President Cheryl Boone Isaacs announced the appointment last week of new members who are 46 percent female and 41 percent people of color. Although the appointments took a large step in diversifying the Academy, they produced only a slight change overall demographically.

Should invitees accept their invitations, the Academy’s percentage of female members will rise from 25 percent to 27 percent and members of color will rise from 8 people to 11 percent overall.

Every year, a new list of filmmakers, actors and other members of the film industry are invited to join the Academy. However’s this year is notably the largest and most diverse.

“We’re proud to welcome these new members to the Academy, and know they view this as an opportunity and not just an invitation, a mission and not just a membership,” Isaacs said.

The newcomers include actors Idris Elba (“Beasts of No Nation” “Pacific Rim”), Regina King (“Ray” “Jerry Maguire”), Loretta Devine (“Crash” “I Am Sam”), Nia Long (“Keanu” “Boyz N The Hood”), and Anika Nona Rose (“For Colored Girls” “Dreamgirls”).

Stars took to Twitter to share the excitement regarding their new membership status.

“Thanks everyone for all the well wishes – my invite from the academy. I was shocked by it, I did not see it coming.” Devine said.

“Thank you @TheAcademy for inviting me to the class of 2016. I’m inspired and honored. Wow!” Long said.

“I’d like to thank @TheAcademy! … for welcoming me (& so many fabulous artists) to the class of 2016,” Rose tweeted.

Amma Asante, Melvin Van Peebles, and Julie Dash are a few directors who were added to the branch of directors.

Dash said she is optimistic regarding what the new class means for the Academy as a whole.

She thanked the Academy and others via Twitter for “taking action beyond the debate, [and] for boldly shaping the future.”

Newcomers to the music branch included artists such as Mary J. Blige, Raphael Saadiq, and Will.i.am.

O’Shea “Ice Cube” Jackson (writer, actor), Keenan Ivory Wayans (writer, director), Ryan Coogler (writer, director) along with 15 others were invited to join the Academy by multiple branches and will have to select one branch upon accepting membership.

Members of the Los Angeles Urban Policy Roundtable and other civil rights leaders were not impressed by the Academy’s efforts. They referred to the increase in numbers as “tokenism” and insist that the organization is still “so white.”

“The ramp up in numbers seems impressive only in comparison to the dismal numbers of minority and women voting in prior years,” the group said in a statement.

In a press release issued as part of the announcement, Isaacs said: “This class continues our long-term commitment to welcoming extraordinary talent reflective of those working in film today. We encourage the larger creative community to open its doors wider and create opportunities for anyone interested in working in this incredible and storied industry.”

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The move was applauded by local activists and members of the South Los Angeles community.

“Cynthia McClain-Hill is a well-respected and tough-minded community leader and attorney,” said Earl Ofari Hutchinson, author and political analyst, in a statement. “Her appointment is a strong signal that Mayor Garcetti takes seriously the continued need for police reform and is willing to ensure strong oversight of LAPD reform and change. McClain-Hill is a good pick for that.”

McClain-Hill will replace Robert Saltzman, who has served on the commission since 2007. The City Council must approve the nomination, and McClain-Hill said she would not comment on her appointment until it was approved.

As the managing director of Strategic Counsel PLC, McClain-Hill leads the firm’s regulatory, land use and environmental law practices. She has served on a variety of public sector boards and regulatory commissions, including the California Coastal Commission, the California Fair Political Practices Commission and the CalEPA Environmental Justice Advisory Working Group.

If McClain-Hill’s appointment is confirmed, she would be one of two black commissioners, as well as the panel’s third female member. Her appointment comes at a time when the commission is making an effort to reduce shootings by LAPD officers.

Melina Abdullah, a local organizer for Black Lives Matter, said that given McClain-Hill’s track record on civil rights, she is hopeful that the attorney can “reshape the relationship” between the black community and the police force as “cooperative rather than adversarial.”

Abdullah said McClain-Hill attempted to recall Daryl Gates, then-chief of the LAPD, following the 1991 beating of Rodney King by LAPD officers. She also published a political newsletter geared to the black community.

“If she was willing to confront Gates, we’re hopeful she’ll hold [Chief] Charlie Beck accountable,” Abdullah said.

Abdullah expressed gratitude that Garcetti took into consideration a request from Black Lives Matter last July that he nominate “a real community leader” for the position. She said the group had the support of other organizations such as California Faculty Association, The Row Church and several area pastors.

Activist Najee Ali also applauded Garcetti’s actions.

“Mayor Garcetti demonstrated true integrity and political courage for the appointment of someone who fought tooth and nail against him in her support of former mayoral candidate Wendy Gruel,” he said in a statement. “This mayor has the character to put aside political grudges for the best interest of our city.”

As part of the Police Commission, McClain-Hill will take part in supervising the force of 10,000 officers and setting LAPD policies. She also will help decide whether officers demonstrate appropriate use of guns and other uses of force.

Despite her praise of Garcetti, Abdullah said she would like to see more transparency regarding the nomination process. Although the mayor responded to the concerns of Black Lives Matter, Abdullah said he did not engage the community by initiating a forum or dialogue. That was the case, she claimed, not only for the nomination of McClain-Hill, but also for all the commissioners.

For example, Abdullah cited the nomination and successive appointment of Matthew Johnson last year; despite the fact that activist Aqeela Sherrills had the “unanimous support of black L.A. as far south as Watts.” Black Lives Matter led a month-long campaign to get him appointed.

The Rev. Kelvin Sauls of Holman United Methodist Church specifically thanked the mayor for regarding the community, even if that did not come in the form of direct engagement with the public.

“We’re grateful to Mayor Garcetti for allowing African-American leadership from Supervisor Mark Ridley-Thomas, civil rights activists and pastors to have input on the selection of our new police commissioner,” he said in a statement. “We’re ecstatic about the appointment of McClain-Hill.”

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Venus Williams defeats defending champion Lindsay Davenport to win her first Wimbledon women’s singles title. The Compton native successfully defended her title the next year.

– For more information on black history, arts and culture, visit www.caamuseum.org 

The post This Week in Black History appeared first on Wave Newspapers.

Parents can’t count on their children eating meals at school and many times that means parents have to go hungry so their kids can eat.

The Los Angeles County Department of Parks and Recreation, in partnership with the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the state Department of Education and the Department of Public Health, is providing about 300,000 free snacks and lunches this summer at 48 county parks in 15 school districts.

There are also 1,539 sponsors that include several community action agencies, head start centers and boys and girls clubs.

Lunch and snacks are served between 11 a.m. and 6 p.m. The exact times change depending on location.

The parks taking part in the program serve areas within geographical borders where at least 50 percent of elementary, middle or high school students are eligible for free or reduced-price school meals.

One of the parks is Franklin D. Roosevelt Park in the Florence-Firestone area of South Los Angeles.

County employees who oversee the free summer lunch program at Franklin Delano Roosevelt Park in South Los Angeles are, from left, Veronica Cortez, recreation service leader; Charlotte Robinson-Perkins, recreation services supervisor; and Donna Fulbright, recreation services supervisor. (Photo by Jacqueline Fernandez)

Every Monday through Friday from 12:30 to 1:30 p.m. the park serves free lunch in the Community Room. Children up to 18 years of age are invited to join.

“This summer is going great,” said Donna Fulbright, recreation services supervisor for the county Department of Parks and Recreation. “We have four new county libraries that have joined us. We are averaging 4,000 meals a day and that’s our best so far.”

A county dietician reviews the menu to make sure everything is in compliance. It’s a daily meal plan that doesn’t contain too much sugar or sodium with everything measured for optimal nutrition.

“I’ve been coming since last year,” said Marina Rodriguez, a local resident. “I’m low income and my husband lost his job. I babysit for my daughter and I bring three of my grandkids to the park.

“I come an hour before so they can play and get hungry and I can even take them to the pool. It’s great. It really helps me a lot. I save so much money and I know it’s healthy food. I can’t get this anywhere else,

Food waste is also minimized in the program. Each unit is provided with a “goodie box.” Food items a child doesn’t want can go in the box so other children have the opportunity to eat it. If there is still food leftover after the lunch hour, the box is put out again during snack time.

Veronica Cortez, a recreation service leader for the county, got her start volunteering at the summer lunch program.

“The parents are very grateful for the lunch,” Cortez said. “Some come every year and others have no idea and get excited when they find out about it. We accommodate kids with allergies as well. Parents just need to fill out a form with the child’s information.”

Hummus and pita chips are the new lunch items this summer. Most of the children weren’t familiar with those foods, but Cortez says the kids enjoy squeezing the hummus tube.

“The string cheese with the juice and cookies is another hit,” she said. “Also the pizza. They think it’s a Lunchables pizza, so they have fun spraying the sauce. Those are their favorite meals.”

The 2016 free Summer Food Service Program concludes Aug. 5. For information, visit www.fns.usda.gov/summerfoodrocks.

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The council voted to move ahead with a five-year, $31 million contract with Taser International Inc. to purchase about 7,000 body cameras and 4,400 stun guns. The agreement will include equipment replacement and upgrade, as well as video storage for footage taken by the cameras.

A little over $23 million will go toward providing police officers with Sprint cell phones that they can use to review and manage their body camera video footage and perform other police duties while on the go.

The plan also includes about $4 million toward infrastructure costs for the body camera program.

City officials say the cameras, which officers can wear on their chest, will likely be given out to police officers by fiscal year 2017-18.

Los Angeles Police Commission officials say the cameras will make interactions with police officers more transparent, leading to fewer complaints from the public and potentially reducing incidences of excessive force or abuse by police officers.

Mayor Eric Garcetti, who pushed for outfitting all Los Angeles police officers with body cameras, said the council action “is an investment in my vision of a Los Angeles Police Department that leads in transparency and accountability — values that protect officers and everyday Angelenos, and that are fundamental to policing in the 21st century.”

This is a historic moment for the LAPD, and I am proud of the leadership shown by everyone who played a part in getting us to this day,” he said.

The city received a $1 million U.S. Department of Justice grant to help pay for the program.

City Council members initially put the issue on hold due to concerns about staffing costs, and it was further delayed in April when Councilman Mitch Englander called for more study of the plan’s costs and contracting process.

Englander told City News Service that following a cost-benefit analysis, he now believes the body camera plan will not only increase transparency and safety for police and the public, but “will also save taxpayer funds, as well.”

The American Civil Liberties Union of Southern California has opposed the body cameras as long as city officials maintain their policy of not releasing video footage to the public, even to a victim’s family.

“A lot of the public support for body cameras hinges on the widespread belief that the public will get to see the videos, but that’s just not true,” Catherine Wagner, an attorney with the ACLU of Southern California, told City News Service.

“The LAPD does not plan to release the videos.”

Wagner said the proposed purchase of the body cameras “was a big opportunity for public officials to weigh in on the policies that will govern this program,” especially through the Public Safety Committee, but that did not take place.

“One of the most troubling things here was that the city has spent a lot of time looking at the financial aspect” of the body camera plan, but did not look into “how the technology will actually be used.”

Police and city officials have argued that the video footage should be treated like any other police evidence, which is typically not disclosed except when required in court or if it serves the department’s purposes, according to Wagner. But she said body cameras were not necessarily proposed solely for use in investigations, but rather as a way to promote transparency and accountability.

Wagner noted the money spent on body cameras is “on a whole different scale of expenditure of public funds.”

“It’s a new technological tool that has been touted as changing the nature of police transparency and accountability, and as a tool for improving public trust,” she said. “If people think these body cameras will improve transparency and accountability, they’re mistaken. It’s money down the drain.”

The post City Council approves $59 million for body cameras appeared first on Wave Newspapers.

LAPD Chief Charlie Beck congratulated Paysinger June 28 on his retirement and appointment at USC, which is effective July 1. Paysinger had served the LAPD for 41 years.

“I am very proud of the achievements Paysinger was able to achieve during his career with the Los Angeles Police Department,” Beck said. “He has truly left his mark upon the LAPD, and we are all grateful.”

During his time with the LAPD, Paysinger focused on crime prevention and community engagement, according to LAPD spokesman Tony Im.

His leadership and crime reduction strategies — including the Youth First mentoring program and the LAPD Cadet Leadership program — resulted in a lower crime level throughout the city that had not been seen since the 1950s, Im added.

“It is fitting that Paysinger is appointed to the position of vice president of civic engagement [for USC], because that is exactly what he has demonstrated throughout his career with LAPD,” Im said. “His leadership and sensibilities will serve both the University of Southern California and the Los Angeles Police Department, as we continue to partner to build a stronger community where people live, work, educate and thrive without the fear or incidence of crime.”

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