Donation ensures campus officer

DOWNEY - The Downey Police Department was presented with a $25,000 donation from Gangs Out of Downey on Tuesday to help fund a school resource officer.The donation ensures that a police officer will be assigned to Downey, Warren and Columbus high schools through the end of the school year. The School Resource program began more than a decade ago and allows each of the area public high schools to be staffed with a police officer. Officials said having an on-campus police officer not only helps to provide a safer learning environment, but also allows for officer interaction with the students, providing mentoring opportunities and law enforcement education. Thad Phillips, president of Gangs Out of Downey, presented the donation to Police Chief Rick Esteves during GOOD's monthly meeting Tuesday. "The funding of this program has become a great example of the collaborative effort and close working relationship shared with the Downey Unified School District, GOOD and the city of Downey," the police department said in a statement.

********** Published: December 9, 2010 - Volume 9 - Issue 34