Los Angeles Police and Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Departments Join the Fight to Combat Hate Los Angeles
Public safety officials launch the Stop Hate And Respect Everyone (SHARE) Tolerance campaign that encourages the youth and the community to celebrate individual diversity. At a news conference held last week, LA Police Assistant Chief Earl Paysinger and Los Angeles County Sheriff Lee Baca unveiled a billboard that read “SHARE Tolerance- Join Our Fight To Combat Hate.”
The SHARE Tolerance Program was developed by the LA County Sheriffs’ Departments to combat and reduce hate crimes. The program focused on students in the 9th and 10th grades. Soon after the SHARE Program began, the Los Angeles Police Department’s Hate Crimes Unit adopted the SHARE Program and customized it for kids between the 4th and 8th grades. The common goal for both Departments is to prevent youth from committing hate crimes and to promote the importance of respecting and accepting each other’s differences.
Ideally, the students who participated in the SHARE Program would pass along what they have learned to their peers and siblings as they move up into junior and senior high schools. “We believe it is vitally important to teach our children early on, that “different” does not always equal bad.” Chief Paysinger said. Sheriff Baca said, “Deputy Sheriffs and police officers have the public’s trust, they have leadership skills, and they care. SHARE Tolerance is a great example of our Department’s Core Values that each of us displays the courage to ‘stand against racism, sexism, anti-Semitism, homophobia, and bigotry in all its forms.”
Together Chief Paysinger and Sheriff Baca retold the message that mutual respect allows people the opportunity to live a life without concern of sanctions, disapproval and fear. It is the key to ending property crimes and crimes against humanity that are based in ignorance and hate.
For more information regarding the program, call LAPD Detective Support and Vice Division, Hate Crime Unit at 213- 996-1390, or e-mail at: ha t e c r ime suni t@l apd. lacity.org