PACE Program continues making difference with Omaha Youth

PACE Program continues making difference with Omaha Youth

SOCIAL JUSTICE ANDEQUALITY, 3 NEWS NOWIS BRINGING YOUSTORIES OF PEOPLE,PLANS, AND PROJECTSAIMED AT SHOWING YOUHOW OMAHA IS MOVINGFORWARD.ANCHOR MAYA SAENZINTRODUCES US TO ACOMMUNITY ATHTLETICSPROGRAM, SPONSOREDBY THE POLICE ...THAT IS NOW MOVING ITFORWARD.ON THIS BASEBALL FIELDTHE COACHES WEAR ABADGE.COACHES LIKE AUGUSTHOGAN THE THIRD ANDKYLEE ASKEW ARE WITHTHE OMAHA POLICEDEPARTMENT.THEY COACH WITH THEPROGRAM PACE WHICHIS POLICE ATHLETICS FORCOMMUNITYENGAGEMENT.ITS GOAL IS TO BUILDRELATIONSHIPSBETWEEN POLICE ANDYOUTH.7:28 - 7:41 13 SECONDS"IT'S MORE THANSWINGING A BATAND THROWING ABALL.ULTIMATELY WHAT IWANT WITH THESEKIDS IS TO BUILDCHARACTER, TOBUILDRESPONSIBILITYAND CREATEOUTSTANDINGCITIZENS."10:57 - 11:11 14SECONDS"I GREW UP BEINGCOACHED INMULTIPLE SPORTS, IKNOW THE IMPACTMY COACHES HADON ME AND SOKNOWING THAT IWAS ABLE TO DOTHIS AND STILLWORK, LIKE THEOTHER COACH WASIN UNIFORM TODAY,I'M NOT UNIFORMBUT I WAS STILLABLE TO COME OUTTODAY AND HELPTHE KIDS AND SOTHAT'S WHY IWANTED TO GETINVOLVED."HOGAN WHO'S IN HIS 4THYEAR OF COACHINGWITH PACE SAYS THETIME TO MAKE AN IMPACTWITH THE KIDS IS NOW.4:02 - 4:24 22 SECONDS"THERE'S A LOT OFNEGATIVITY OUTTHERE RIGHT NOWWHEN IT COMES TOPOLICE AND JUST INTHE WORLD INGENERAL AND IWANT TO GO OUTTHERE AND MAKEAN IMPACT IN THECOMMUNITY ANDTHE BEST WAY TODO THAT IS WHENSOMEBODY ISYOUNG.THESE CHILDREN -THEY'RE JUSTMOLDING WHOTHEY ARE GOING TOBE FOR THE REST OFTHEIR LIVES, SORIGHT NOW ISWHEN YOU'REGOING TO MAKETHE BIGGESTIMPACT THAT'S WHYIT'S IMPORTANT TODO IT WHENTHEY'RE YOUNG."ESPECIALLY WITH THERECENT TENSIONBETWEEN THECOMMUNITY AND POLICEDEPARTMENTSTHROUGHOUT THECOUNTRY THESEOFFICERS SAY BEINGOUT ON THIS FIELD ISHELPING EASESITUATIONS WHILE OUTON CALLS.5:43 - 6:04 21 SECONDS"WHEN I'VE SHOWNUP TO A CALL, IT'SBEEN COMPLETECHAOS ANDSOMEBODY,REGARDLESS IF IT'S ADIRECT PARENT ORA SUPPORT OFTHESE KIDS, KNOWSME AND THATHELPS.BUT NOT ONLYANECDOTALLY BUT IJUST THINK IT'SVERY IMPORTANTTO GET OUT WITHINTHE COMMUNITY TOGET OUT SO THATTHE COMMUNITYKNOWS THAT YOUCARE."AS POLICE OFFICERS OFCOLOR THESE COACHESSAY THEIR PRESENCEWITHIN THE COMMUNITYIS HELPING GROUPSMOVE FORWARD BYSHOWING THESE YOUNGATHLETES THEY TOO.CAN BE LEADERS INTHEIR OWN CITY.12:15 - 12:30 15SECONDS"IT ALSO SHOWSTHE KIDS THATRIGHT NOW, I'MJUST A REGULARPERSON, JUST LIKETHEM.SO WHEN I DOCOME IN UNIFORM,THEY SAY, HEY AWOMAN CAN BE APOLICE OFFICER, OHYOU CAN BE BLACKAND BE A POLICEOFFICER SO THEREARE THOSE THINGSBUT IT ALSO SHOWSOURSINTERACTIONS WITHTHEM AREPOSITIVE."4:48 - 5:18 30 SECONDS"THE BIGGEST THINGFOR ME,PERSONALLY, IS LIKEYOU SAID, I'M FROMHERE.BORN AND RAISEDIN OMAHA.I KNOW WHAT IT'SLIKE TO GROW UP,SEE A POLICECRUISER ANDTHINK, OMG,SOMEBODY'S INTROUBLE.I WANT TO SHOWTHEM A DIFFERENTSIDE OF THINGS.5:08 WITH THEPROTEST ANDEVERYTHING LIKETHAT, I THINK THEBIGGEST WAY TOAFFECT CHANGE ISTO BE THE CHANGETHAT YOU WANT TOSEE."IN OMAHA, MAYA SAENZ,3NNYOU CAN FIND ALL OFOUR 'MOVING FORWARD'STORIES ON OURWEBSITE - 3 NEWS NOWDOT COM- AND CLICK ONTHE "MOVING FORWARD'TAB.THERE IS ALSO A PLACEWHERE YOU CAN LET USKNOW IF YOU HAVE ASTORY IDEA.