LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- Louisville Metro Police officers are teaching young people how to fight as a way to reduce crime.Â
A new class teaching them boxing, jiu-jitsu, Muay Thai and self-defense may also help the embattled police department rebuild public trust.
Classes are held every Wednesday and are led by an average of four officers at a time. All of the action happens in one room, and each session is different. It's a weekly activity provided to children who might be targets of bullying or in need of a confidence boost.
Student Zion Bradley, 13, never misses a class.
"I think it's really fun to get to spend time with police officers," Bradley said. "I was kind of scared, but I've already done the basketball program, so I was, I was ready for it and it was a lot of fun. I wasn't really into self-defense, but now I am enjoying it."
The Louisville Metro Police Activities League, which runs the new program that started about five weeks ago, is among efforts from LMPD to build better relationships in the community.
"We're really proud of Zion. He's a good kid. This opportunity to mentor these kids is just a blessing for all of us. We're humbled, we love it," said Rick Polin, director of the League. "And as long as moms and dads keep bringing them back, we're just happy and honored to be doing it."
Students learn basic self-defense skills, strikes and kicks, and life skills.
"Things that will help them navigate life more successfully," Polin said. "Discipline, accountability, little things like how to greet someone who may maintain eye contact, how to compose an email to your teacher with a positive outcome in mind, these little things and so the hook for us is cool boxing and jiu-jitu and Muay Thai and that's what gets the kids in the door. But we're giving them so much more than that."
Officers spending time to nurture, develop and build trust and relationships with Louisville's most vulnerable kids.
"Some of these kids wouldn't make eye contact with us, scared to shake hands, didn't want to even talk to each other," Polin said. "And now it's high-fives, hugs, you know, and that's with the officers as well as the kids. So they're really coming out of their shells."
"This is important because I think we need to build trust between the police and the community, and I think we're well on our way to doing that as we speak," said Polin. "So this program is just another avenue for officers and the community to get together in spaces over shared interests like this, and just find some common ground."
By improving relationships, LMPD hopes the free program makes an impact on violent crime. There have been more than 160 shootings and at least 65 homicides in the city this year, and young people ages 15 to 24 make up a large portion of the victims and the accused.
"What's unique about this program is these kids come into this program and their parents and the siblings and they know officers, they actually meet officers, real trust has (built) real relationships, and by virtue of that, phone calls are being made," said Polin.Â
The program is geared towards kids ages 12 to 15, but some of them look forward to the weekly class so much, they're bringing their siblings too.
For more information and to sign up for the program when enrollment opens, click here.
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