Douglasville Police Department launches program to tackle street gangs, violent crime

DOUGLASVILLE, Ga. - A metro Atlanta police agency is taking action to crack down on gangs.

The Douglasville Police Department just created a multi-week program aimed at enlightening at-risk young men.

This is a seven-week training program aimed at men 21-years-old and over. 

Chief Gary Sparks believes this will help these men to unlock their greatest potential.

"We're just trying to get to the inner soul of a person, and we think it will help some people," the chief explained. 

Inside his office at the Douglasville Public Safety and Municipal Court building Tuesday, Chief Sparks explained the four responsibilities this new program aims to teach these at risk men.

Foundational Transformation of Men aims to make them more productive in society by understanding their moral, family, civic and parental duties.

"They're going to prison, or they're involved in gangs, or they involved in criminal activity because they're not using the principles that's set to get them to their greatness," Sparks detailed.

The seven-week program comes after the murder of a 15-year-old boy at a house party on New Year's Eve.

This initiative is an extension of another program, Youth Against Violence, that helps at-risk youth make better life decisions.

"They might have followed the wrong people for a while, and now it's engraved in them. We want to let them know there's a way out. There's a way to success," the  chief said.

During the training, the young men 21 and over will discuss the keys to success, basic living instructions, financial planning and conflict resolution.

"Then we're just going to talk about unlocking that potential, that power that's inside them. Don't lose it. Don't wait until it's too late, and then you're gone, and you had all those things inside you." 

Sparks said the program will have the participants look at the purpose and power of men including from a spiritual perspective.

The chief hopes this new effort will help stop the pipeline to prison.

"We wanna hit the inner person that way they can make better choices." 

The department is looking participants to join the program right now. 

The classes will begin on March 14 and take place every Monday until mid-April.

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