T.O.R.C.H. - Teaching Obedience Respect Courage & Honor

T.O.R.C.H. Group Photo Outside by Trees

About the Program

The El Monte Police Department has always been dedicated to at risk youth intervention. Our most successful youth intervention program is the Teaching Obedience Respect Courage and Honor program (T.O.R.C.H.) which was established in 2001. The program is designed for "at risk" juveniles who have engaged in unwanted behavior, and are attempting to rehabilitate. Age requirement is 13 to 17 1/2 years old. T.O.R.C.H. is a twelve week program, which includes but is not limited to:

  • Physical fitness
  • Team sports
  • Counseling
  • Guest speakers
  • Field trips
  • Mentoring
  • Rewards
  • Community Service

Often the participants are ordered by a Superior Court Judge to complete the program, so we service youth throughout the greater Los Angeles area.

Reason for T.O.R.C.H.

Many young people today are making bad decisions, based on negative information from their peers. They rarely seek the advice of their parent(s), teachers or other responsible adults. To compound the problem, many families have no foundation for structure. This leads to a lack of parental control and the result is a young person without values or respect for authority.

The T.O.R.C.H. program is about choices and consequences. We give the participants necessary skills to make good choices that are based on sound judgment. Our staff teaches the participants that every choice has either a positive or negative consequence.

Life Qualities

We instill the following qualities in each of the participants and their families:

  • Integrity
  • Dependability
  • Judgment
  • Knowledge
  • Initiative
  • Endurance
  • Patience
  • Unselfishness
  • Honesty
  • Decisiveness
  • Enthusiasm
  • Loyalty
  • Self-esteem
  • Discipline

This is achieved by Teaching, Obedience, Respect, Courage, and Honor.

Upcoming T.O.R.C.H. Class 45

The upcoming T.O.R.C.H. program will be held at the El Monte High School. Orientation is on Saturday, February 29, 2020 from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. The class will run each Saturday from March 7, 2020 to Saturday, May 16, 2020. Students will attend class from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. 

A prerequisite of this program is for one parent (both parents optional) to complete the Parent Project Program. The parenting classes will be from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday's at El Monte High School.