Business Improvement District Officers Help Develop “Big Citizens”
Los Angeles, CA (PRWEB) July 29, 2015 -- With warm temperatures and freedom from the school-day grind, children across the U.S. are spending their Saturdays at favorite summer destinations like beaches, pools, and parks. A special children’s group in Los Angeles is doing something different – volunteering Saturdays to be “Big Citizens” – in this case, working with Big Citizen HUB to provide food and clothing to homeless youth. To prepare, the volunteers recently met with officers from Andrews International, the security company that provides the private police force in Hollywood’s Entertainment and Sunset & Vine Business Improvement Districts (BIDs).
Andrews International, an affiliate of U.S. Security Associates, has a history of helping Hollywood’s homeless and young people, dating back to the company’s early roots providing security for major Hollywood studios. Today, Andrews International and the Hollywood Property Owners Alliance are partners dedicated to solving problems in the Hollywood BIDs. Andrews International provides private police officers who patrol the Hollywood BIDs and interact daily with members of the local homeless population. Some of these officers agreed to meet with the Big Citizen HUB volunteer group, which included kids ages 10-13 from all over Los Angeles.
The officers talked to the children about a variety of topics and answered many questions and concerns. While they acknowledged the potential risks of working with the homeless, the officers also had many suggestions to help the children ensure their experiences would be positive. “We spoke to the kids about spending a little time talking to the homeless,” Officer Mike Coogle explains. “They’re just like you and me. They put pants on in the morning; they go out and do the same things we do every day. They’re people and don’t want to be treated like they’re not.”
BID patrol officers emphasize the importance of respecting the dignity, circumstances, and unique needs of each individual when dealing with the homeless. Their private policing work in Hollywood is focused on building bridges and ultimately helping to connect homeless people with resources for food, showers, employment, shelter, and permanent living spaces through local outreach programs, churches, and shelters.
Eager to learn from some of Hollywood’s “Big Citizens,” the children had more questions for the officers than time for answers. They left the visit feeling enthusiastic and confident about doing their part to help homeless youth.
About Big Citizen HUB
Big Citizen HUB is a Saturday youth leadership development and skills building program that runs from January through July, uniting young people from all over the Los Angeles area. Big Citizen HUB brings together young people, outside of school, to learn a common civic language, engage in dialogue, and build community to investigate local and global challenges ranging from Poverty to Environmental issues. It is a little league for civic action; a space for young people to transform into Big Citizens who prioritize active participation within their communities and larger society.
About Andrews International, LLC
Andrews International, LLC headquartered in Los Angeles, California, is a full service provider of security and risk mitigation services with operations throughout the United States and internationally. The company offers uniformed security, consulting and investigative services, personal protection, special event security, training, alarm monitoring and response, and disaster emergency response services. Andrews International is an affiliate of U.S. Security Associates, one of America’s largest contract security services firms. For more information, please visit the Andrews International website at http://www.andrewsinternational.com.
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Ginger Dillard, U.S. Security Associates, http://www.ussecurityassociates.com, +1 (703) 655-2573, [email protected]
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