Who:
Los Angeles Police Department, Rampart Area Detective Fred Faustino, LAPD Rampart Area Personnel, 70-80 Students from Berendo and Virgil Middle School.

What:
A 15-Mile Bicycle Ride with the "After School Bicycle Program"

When:
Saturday, September 14, 2002 at 8:30 a.m.

Where:
Virgil Middle School, 152 N. Vermont Avenue

Los Angeles: The relationship between police officers and our young people is an opportunity to provide positive direction to youths who are vulnerable to the dangers of society.

Los Angeles Police Department’s Rampart Detective Fred Faustino, and other police personnel from the Rampart Area station, are utilizing that important relationship by the use of bicycles, and the skill of bicycle repair. Students and officers participating in the after-school bicycle program will gather at Virgil Middle School for a 15-mile ride around the Silver Lake Reservoir and then return for a barbecue lunch.

Detective Faustino, with the support of the Los Angeles Police Foundation, provides bicycle parts, tools, T-shirts and helmets to the students of the Rampart Area. With the supervision of Detective Faustino, the students learn bicycle repair in addition to participating in bicycle competition, endurance and field trips. Once the bike is repaired, a student may keep it or donate it to another student who does not own a bicycle. The majority of the bikes being ridden on the September 14^th ride have been repaired from the students in the "After School Bicycle Program."

Detective Faustino is available for interviews by contacting him at the Rampart Area Station, 213-207-2147.

This Media Advisory was prepared by Public Information Officer Jack Richter, Media Relations Section, 213-485-3586.