PANAMA CITY — Summer programs will be part of a solution the LEAD Coalition offers in an attempt to discourage crime in Panama City.
The LEAD Coalition conducted a crime perception survey during the Martin Luther King Jr. Celebration. While there was generally disagreement between the 30 people ages 18 to 35 and the other 162 people surveyed, one area where there was a consensus was that juveniles were committing more crimes.
“Kids will be our biggest allies in the neighborhood,” Boys & Girls Club CEO Paul Mosca said. “Just like the drug culture uses these kids as runners, we can use them for good.”
The coalition will further develop a plan for summer programs at the March 9 strategic planning meeting and then discuss implementation at a March 16 follow up meeting.
However, there are some programs already in existence. The Boys & Girls Club in St. Andrews and Millville has programs from 7:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. from June 11 through Aug. 13. Mosca also promoted extending funding to a baseball program in that area. Mosca said violence has affected the club in the Millville area, causing the club to lock it’s doors on multiple occasions.
The Bay County Sheriff’s Office has a Wilderness Camp with tentative dates of June 15 - 19 and July 22 through 26. The camp will include activities like bow shooting and other life skills but it is only available for 40 children. Lt. Myron Guilford said BCSO has staffing limitations.
“It would have a big effect,” Guilford said of expanding summer programs. “It would give them something to do and give them a mentor.”
Panama City Police Lt. Mark Laramore said it is crucial for law enforcement to establish a relationship with children.
“We have way more good kids than bad kids,” he said. “They will readily tell us stuff.”
PCPD is at a disadvantage because they do not have resource officers in the schools. More than three years ago, the school district decided to have only Bay County officers. While both sides characterized communication between the two departments as strong, Chief Scott Ervin said the department would be receiving better information on potential crimes if it had a presence in schools.
The coalition also discussed work training to address teenagers. AMI-Kids has gotten eight students hired in the hospitality industry and has a construction program to get students certified.