Four Paths Police Youth Club Re-launched

The Four Paths Police Youth Club (FPPYC) was recently restructured and re-launched following a period of inactivity.
Club member, Kimesha Small, informed that the restructuring process, which was spearheaded by Constable Fredi Ferguson, was to increase the level and range of services to meet the needs of the young people of the community.
The club, she said, “is now functionally viable” and members can receive training, support, referral, information and “have opportunities to take part in community priorities and in a variety of programmes and events.”
These include a mentoring programme, basic computer training, back-to-school support, food drives for the homeless and shut-ins, and annual Labour Day projects.The FPPYC was founded by Woman Sergeant Ella Logan-Pryce in 1990 and is one of approximately 457 such clubs across Jamaica.
According to Ms. Small, the club has helped to foster community development and many law enforcement officers have emerged from its membership.
Corporal Odane Mulgrave of the Clarendon Police informed that of the 52 police youth clubs in the parish, only 17 are active and come next year, focus will be placed on reviving those dormant groups.
“We are putting all the plans in place to hit the ground running in 2010,” he said, informing that more young police officers will be empowered to take up the mantle of leadership within the communities.
“We hope that next year, we will be able to empower more young police officers to take up that form of leadership within the communities in which they work so we can have the police youth clubs coming back to take their place in Clarendon,” he said.
He urged residents to support the police youth clubs, neighbourhood watch groups and citizens associations in their communities.
“Continue to support your community-based activities. It is part of youth development and it is a part of reducing crime,” he stated.