TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — The Leon County Sheriff's Office is shedding more light on its partnership with churches in the community.
We've told you about the Worship With Me program that tries to reach youth before they turn to crime.
WTXL ABC 27's Stephanie Rank spoke with religious leaders about how it works.
"This is not the Tallahassee that we know. I have been here for 10 years," said Anton Elwood, Pastor at New Mt. Zion AME Church. "There are other individuals that have been here all of their lives, and this is just not the Tallahassee that we know."
Religious leaders in Tallahassee are stepping up to help deter at-risk youth from a life of crime. Worship centers like New Mt. Zion AME Church will partner with at least two families and provide counseling services, and transportation assistance to church events.
"If each agency keeps it at the forefront and not just when it is a hot topic, but keep it at the forefront at all times where ever we can to make sure that it is always on the agenda, I think that we can make an impact," said Elwood.
LCSO says that children who attended at least one hour of worship weekly are less likely to commit crimes.
"It's so important to reach the youth before it gets to that point. There's so many negative influences, we need to start getting some positive influences in there to start driving down the violent crime that's rising at the moment," said LCSO Deputy Dave Teems.
Pastor Elwood says law enforcement will be making regular visits to church events to offer mentorship to children and their parents.
"We want to make sure that any possible way of being able to reach people, to be able to reach juveniles, before they commit criminal activity, that's we are going to do," said Deputy Teems.
Proving that it will take an 'ALLin' effort from everyone, to make Leon County a safer place.
"It's important for people to understand that it's everybody's job in Leon County to make it safer," said Deputy Teems. "As law enforcement officers, its our job to enforce the law and work with citizens and make sure that we are doing everything that we can to drive that crime down, put we can't do that without the people in the community."
Pastor Elwood says another way to reach children is their annual summer bible vacation. It will begin June 24.
