On April 19, reserve police officers (with Chief of Police Dominic Choi) helped build the bridge between the LAPD and the community at an event held in Van Nuys by Operation School Bell, a nonprofit that provides impoverished children with the supplies they need to attend school. Officers welcomed each child and outfitted them with new school clothing, grooming products, a backpack, sneakers, school supplies, a book and a small toy or board game. The event served about 230 LAUSD students and was covered by multiple local media outlets. As Operation School Bell says, “Children come away with more than new items. They leave with a sense of joy, heightened self-esteem, and hope for the future.”