LOS ANGELES — Seven children had injuries consistent with abuse after attending a weeklong boot camp run by two Los Angeles-area police departments for at-risk youth, investigators said Wednesday.
The San Luis Obispo County Sheriff’s Office found that seven of 39 children who attended the boot camp between May 17 and 24 had injuries, agency spokesman Tony Cipolla said.
He said that interviews with all 39 children and the drill instructors were ongoing. No charges have been filed, he said.
The agency has never gotten a complaint about the 17-year-old camp before, Cipolla said, adding that parents are considering filing a lawsuit.
The LEAD program began in 1998 as an intervention for troubled youths. Participants can range from kids who’ve joined gangs or use drugs to children with bad grades or attitude problems.
Parents pay $400 for children ages 11 to 17 to join the voluntary, 20-week LEAD program, short for Leadership, Empowerment and Discipline. The camp includes a one-week boot camp at the California National Guard’s base in San Luis Obispo, and then daylong Sunday sessions.
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