This is a write up from the old blog originally posted on July 14, 2009:
Yesterday evening I went out to Lynbrook Elementary School. I was asked to go see a soccer program run by Fairfax Police Officer Al Cruz and some other officers from the Springfield substation.
I am not sure what I expected, but I can tell you this: It was awesome.
Kids from about six years old to nineteen were out there playing. There are four different sets of kids playing pickup games and running drills. In all, there were more than 100 kids out playing and there are some Monday afternoons that there are more than 200 playing.
On a field and in a community where kids weren’t able to play safely just a few years ago, the police have created a safe haven free of gangs and drugs. It’s not often you see a police 4×4 in the middle of a playground or uniformed and plain clothes officers walking around with their side arms clearly visible – but it works.
Here’s a link to a Washington Post article about the program.