Pastor Sonja R. Dawson and the members of New Mount Calvary Missionary Baptist Church (NMC) honored members of the Los Angeles Police Department and LAPD and community justice advocates for their work and commitment to address violence in South Los Angeles through civic engagement, community policing and gang intervention programs.
The recognition took place on February 28 during the NMC’s 2016 African American Celebration and Awards Ceremony. The honorees were LAPD Deputy Chief William Scott, Commander Phillip Tingirides, Sergent Emada Tingirides, Betty Day, president of Watts Gang Task Force; and Alice Craft and Iona Johnson of the Avalon Gardens Neighborhood Association.
“Change is the result of faith coupled with hope. That is why this event is so special as it acknowledges what faith and hope can do,” said Pastor Dawson, who also a Los Angeles deputy city attorney and supervising deputy city attorney the city’s Prostitution Diversion Program.
“In recent years, the number of gang-related deaths has decreased due to strategic community policing strategies implemented by Deputy Chief Scott, the establishment of the Community Safety Partnership by husband and wife officers, Commander and Sgt. Tingirides, as well as on-the-ground community reconciliation efforts by President Day and the Watts Gang Task Force.
“Also, the works of Alice Craft and Iona Johnson have served as a model for how neighborhood partnership associations can work with civic, city, county, and community programs to improve community relations,” added the Rev. Dr. Dawson.
New Mt. Calvary is located at 402 E. El Segundo Blvd., in Los Angeles. For information, call the church at (310) 324-0644 or visit newmtcalvary.org.
