Columbia County Report: Lake City Police summer youth employment program returning in 2023

LAKE CITY, Fla. (WCJB) - The Lake City Police Department is bringing back its Summer Youth Employment Program for a fourth straight year in 2023.

The program was started by the previous Police chief to help give kids something to do over the summer.

“She went to one of our local organizations,” said LCPD’s community relations coordinator, Ashley Hardison, “CareerSource Florida Crown, and partnered with them to bring this program to the community to give our something to do in the summer time. Statistically, when kids are out of school, our crime rates increase.”

Kids aged 16-18--and 19-year-olds graduating in 2023--are eligible for employment as long as they are in school or have gotten their GED.

Jobs are available in both county and city government organizations, as well as with local businesses.

“We have had interns at the Police department every year that we’ve done this,” said Hardison. “What other 16-year-old do you know that can say that? We have about 20 positions between the county and the city government where a student is placed in various departments within our organizations, and we have about 20 additional jobs in private organizations throughout the community.

“I get to visit all of the kids at all of the work sites, and that’s probably one of the best things because you get to see them learning and experiencing something new. I can’t speak for everybody else because they don’t get to do that, but that’s the most fun for me.”

Police say the biggest goal of the program is to help create a better relationship between law enforcement and teenagers.

“In today’s age you’ll see a lot of general struggles,” said Hardison, “so building relationships for our community means having positive impact with young people...Them being able to see that the Police force and law enforcement isn’t always just arresting somebody, that they are attempting to provide good programs to our communities.”

Public parking for the festival can be found in many areas around the park, specifically the areas outlined in this image in blue: