The houston police department (HPD), in partnership with the boys and girls clubs of greater houston (bgcgh) will use FY24 microgrants funding to support the next phase of implementation of the…

The U.S. Department of Justice's Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) awarded a $175,000 Project Grant under the Public Safety Partnership and Community Policing Grants program (CFDA 16.710) to the Houston Police Department (HPD) and the Boys and Girls Clubs of Greater Houston (BGCGH). The funding will support the next phase of implementation for the Positive Encounters project, a trust-building initiative that will serve 300 or more sixth through ninth grade youth in economically disadvantaged minority communities near three BGCGH clubs. Through targeted recruitment, the project will engage youth not otherwise involved in extracurricular activities, with HPD officers working overtime as mentors during afterschool and summer hours. The overarching goal is to build trust between HPD and the community, enabling meaningful relationships between youth, their families, and the police department. The award period is from October 1, 2024 to September 30, 2026.

The houston police department (HPD), in partnership with the boys and girls clubs of greater houston (bgcgh) will use FY24 microgrants funding to support the next phase of implementation of the positive encounters project. This trust-building initiative will serve 300 or more sixth through ninth grade youth who live near three bgcgh clubs in economically disadvantaged minority communities. Through targeted recruitment, the project will work to engage youth not otherwise involved in extracurricular activities with their local club where HPD officers will work overtime shifts as mentors during afterschool and summer hours. The overarching goal of the initiative is to build trust between HPD and the community, with youth and their families engaging in meaningful relationships with officers so that they can both see beyond their uniforms and recognize the departments commitment to positive youth development.