Police officers are highly trained to do pit maneuvers, catch criminals and keep us safe, but there's nothing in the police handbook that covers fifth-grade social studies or junior high math.
That doesn't stop these Azusa Police officers from working a different beat as part of the Homework House. Each day you can find the officers in full uniform tutoring, mentoring and helping low-income students with their school work.
"It's very humbling to see these kids who may not have a lot of resources available to them," said Lt. Xavier Torres of the Azusa police Department. Torres grew up in Azusa and says he sees himself in many of these students.
"There are a lot of problems that I didn't have in the past," he said. "There are more gang issues, drug issues, but what I see in them a lot of effort."
The program does more than just help kids improve their grades. It also fosters a relationship between the officers and the community members they protect.
"Even though this is a homework-based program there are a lot of conversations that are started between the officers and the kids and when they speak to the parents it opens the door even farther," said Azusa Police Chief Stephan Hunt.
The Homework House provides a constructive place for children to go between the period when they leave school and their parents return home from work, which officers say is the time when kids are most likely to get into trouble.
"It's hard. I'm working. My husband is working. Everybody is working and with three kids it's hard to help them, to pay attention to all of them. So Homework House is wonderful for us," said parent Rosa Yauyo.
The officers say sometimes it's easier to be out patrolling the streets than to relearn fractions and long division, but it's worth it.
"At end of year when you see them gradating, from middle school, from high school, going into college, that right there is the best gift," said Lt. Torres.
