Don't call it a get out of jail free card but it could keep you out of jail. Later this month Youth for the Future will launch what it calls a membership card for the youths who are members of the Operation Positive Re-inforcement. It's sounds revolutionary and Youth for the Future's Douglas Hyde told us more
Douglas Hyde, Youth for the Future-OPR
"The membership card itself is like a ID where a young person who is in Youth for the Future and OPR will be issued a card based on their affiliation with the program. You must go through training. That person must have a full background check with more or less information taken from him or her. When police meet the individual with the card on the street, someone who is just hanging out and thing can present the card to show they are a member of the program. That card itself basically identifies to the police that the person is a part of the Youth for the Future. It shows that it is not a regular person who wants to commit crimes. However the card is not a getaway for persons who commit crime and police want to look for them. If they have the card police can still come and arrest them and take them to the station for that due process."
Today Police Commissioner Jose Zetina said his department will recognize the membership card. The commissioner was at the Youth for the Future for a face to face meeting with reformed gang members like George "Junie Balls" Mckenzie and Raymond "Killa" Gentle. It was a lively back and forth and tomorrow we'll have highlights of it when we show you what happens when the system meets the streets.