NORTH HILLS, Calif. – Ten-year-old Rita Aguilar has become an avid soccer player since a new soccer field was built at the North Hills Community Park earlier this year.

But up until two months ago, her mother would not have allowed her to come to the park at all because it was prime territory for crime and drug activity between two rival street gangs in the area. After the Los Angeles Police Department’s Mission Division started a new Police Activities League - known as PAL - at the park in June, Rita goes there almost every day now.

“I'm glad that they have this program in the neighborhood. We like do activities, we play sports, we set up things like events and activities,” said Rita.

Rita is also a budding artist and one of her biggest fans is Captain Natalie Cortez, who started the PAL program at the North Hills Park. Captain Cortez initiated the PAL program in an effort to deter gang violence and crime that was happening in this park.

“I looked at all the crime stats, I found out that within this area, it represents 23 percent of all of our violent crime in the Mission Division. Gang members were walking up and down the sidewalk. I said, guess what, we found the perfect spot to make a difference. And we knew that this would truly be the place where we can engage youth make the community safer and give the kids an alternate to gangs,” said Cortez.

PAL is a youth crime prevention program that relies on educational, athletic, and recreational activities to cement a bond between police officers and the families in the community. There are now at least three police officers in the park during times when families and children are likely to be there to participate in activities and service as role models for the kids.

The PAL program is geared to children ages 9 to 14, but there will also be programming available for adults such as the parenting and domestic violence classes.

In the fall, there will be after school tutoring a music program and field trips. And you're sure to find Rita leading the charge.