CMPD fights crime with program focused on empowering Charlotte youth

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CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police have been pushing a crime fighting tool focused on empowering the community.

A part of that effort starts with some of the Charlotte area's youngest residents by trying to lead them in a more positive direction.

About a dozen people from the Lakewood and Thomasboro communities gathered Saturday at the Northside Christian Academy to serve food in the community.

CMPD's program is about instilling positive values in young people. From there, officials say they can go out into the world and be productive and make better decisions.

CMPD launched the program about a year ago to focus on giving people in the community the tools they need to make positive changes.

This falls under the program called SAVE.

Channel 9's DaShawn Brown spoke with a 14-year-old who has been involved with the program for the last 10 weeks. He said he has already been shot at.

The program ends in two weeks, but Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police say the effort won't stop when the program ends.

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