EAST LOS ANGELES : Police Give Toys to Needy Children

The Latino Peace Officers Assn. of East Los Angeles gave out 2,000 toys to needy children Saturday for the second year in a row at the American Red Cross.

Over the last few weeks, the 120 members of the association, made up of police officers from Los Angeles and neighboring cities, sheriff’s deputies, probation and parole officers, California Highway Patrol officers and Justice Department officials, have collected toys from the community to be distributed.

The Red Cross, the Los Angeles County Bomberos Assn. and the East Los Angeles Rotary Club helped with the toy drive. Vouchers for the toys were handed out to churches and organizations who were in touch with needy families and were redeemed Saturday morning at the giveaway.

“Our association has been involved in a lot of humanitarian efforts over the year,” Sheriff’s Deputy Ed Rubalcaba said. “We’re trying to change the image people have of people in law enforcement.”

Throughout the year, association members have helped families they meet on patrol, including the family of a young cancer patient.

The officers took Joshua Anthony Moreno, 9, to a professional basketball game where he met Phoenix Suns star Charles Barkley and Lakers giants James Worthy and Vlade Divac. They also arranged for the boy’s father, an inmate at Chino State Prison, to visit Joshua before he died.

They hope to increase their community involvement in the coming year with help at homeless shelters and battered women’s shelters, Rubalcaba said.