Indio Gets Gang Prevention Grant

INDIO – Tony Williams, Director of Operations for the Boys and Girls Club of the Coachella Valley, was pleased to hear the organization is getting part of a $370,000 grant.

“See how big I’m smiling. Well that actually is a lot of money,” says Williams.

Governor Schwarzenegger sent more than $9 million to cities around the state to help fight gang violence.

Indio is the only city in the Coachella Valley to get some of the money and it’s going to make sure at-risk kids don’t get involved with gangs in the first place.

“We wanna catch them before they even think about it or even explore the opportunity or maybe they have an older relative or friend that’s involved in that kinda of activities,” says Ben Guitron with Indio Police Department.

The money will be split 3 ways.

20 percent going to the Indio Youth Task Force.

30 percent, or about $130,000 to the Indio Boys and Girls Club.

And, the rest to the Teen Center.

Indio police say the Teen Center will use the money to hire 2 employees.

They hope to serve about 150 children during the 2 year grant.

Williams isn’t sure how the Boys And Girls Club plans to use the money.

But, it will go to good use.

“We teach them about gangs. We teach them about how to say no to drugs and alcohol and things like that so this place is built for something just like that,” says Williams.

Indio police won’t get any of the grant money.

But the department is invested in how it’s spent.

The city has more than 20 schools.

And, even if some kids turn to gangs, indio police will be busy.

“Its not good for them. It’s not good for the community. And, we can’t just be reactive to things. We have to be proactive,” says Guitron.

And, now they have some money to do that.