Thanks for taking the time to visit my website. I spent almost 26 years as a Police Officer for the City of Tempe, Arizona. I was very fortunate to have had the opportunity to serve the citizens of the City of Tempe. My website, like my vision, is still a work in progress. After countless nights and years of watching young men and women make tragic choices that would change their lives forever, I started to wonder if one person could make a difference. So for many years I have tried to always remember the “Starfish on the Beach” and have always tried to make a difference to at least one person that was headed down the wrong path, or may have already taken the wrong path.
I have known many people that have made the choice to make gangs part of their lives, and many individuals that were or are incarcerated due to gang related crimes. Nobody needs to be reminded time after time about their negative choices. Rest assured that every gang member that I have ever known is fully aware of how they ended up where they are, with the majority feeling that they had no choice but to turn to gangs. I encourage every person involved in gangs to reach up and bust the rear view mirror off and to stop worrying about where we have been or how we got there, but to focus our positive efforts and energy on what is in front of the car, not where we have been.
I am not a problem solver and can’t prevent or encourage everyone from joining or remaining in a gang. I am however willing to help however I can to encourage men and women that a life that involves gang activity is a dead end street. I am available for presentations or to discuss gang intervention / prevention strategies with nonprofit groups, religious groups, charitable groups, individual parents or anyone that needs help within the greater Phoenix metropolitan area. I offer my time and services at no charge.
I had a very close relationship with my grandfather who was a small dairy farmer in Western Wisconsin. We would spend many cold mornings getting dressed and getting ready to milk the herd. As a young teenager I would wonder and ask why we had to get up so early every morning to milk the cows. After a very well stated explanation to his grandson, Grandpa would always say, “It’s time to go get the cows.” I understand what Grandpa was saying many years later. It’s time to get busy and it’s time to go to work.
Why? Because like the person who was walking down the beach I am confident that if we can save one person from joining a gang or preventing a person from getting involved to the point where they are committed to a lifetime of incarceration or death, we have succeeded.
Chuck Schoville
“E Ola Pono”
(Live a Righteous Life)
