LAPD, Citing Discrimination, Ends Affiliation of Its Youth Program With Scouts

Since 1962, the Los Angeles (CA) Police Department has operated a program to give youth interested in law enforcement an opportunity to assist the LAPD with certain tasks. Now, according to yesterday's Edge, the LAPD is restructuring the program to end its affiliation with the Boy Scouts Learning for Life Explorer Program. Because the Boy Scouts exclude gays, atheists and agnostics, the Police Commission has decided that affiliation with them conflicts with the city's non-discrimination policy. Police Commissioner Robert Salzman says the new program that begins Jan. 1 will be as good or better than the old one.