South Bay

TRADING CARDS: So would two detectives get you a watch commander?

A nonprofit service agency for the developmentally disabled in Gardena plans to create trading cards of the city’s 150 police officers and firefighters and distribute them to more than 7,000 schoolchildren.

Jane Sunahara of IMUA Training Inc. said not only would the cards improve relations between local youths and peace officers (“We want to get the kids interested in the faces behind the uniform”), but would also help seven developmentally disabled clients learn accounting, packaging and distribution skills. Her agency trains adults with mental and emotional impairments in independent living and helps them develop job skills.

The idea for the trading cards came to her, Sunahara said, after hearing about a similar project with Torrance police officers.

“I thought it’d be a way for my kids to learn new skills and promote the image of firefighters and police officers,” she said.

Sunahara has already lined up support from officials with both departments and is taking bids from local photographers to take the pictures. Each card will be printed with biographical information on its uniformed subject and include that person’s favorite safety tip.