Reinstate the juvenile community service program the city once had in operation. The juvenile community service program was run by the Allentown Police Department's civilian community police coordinator. Juveniles that committed minor offenses were ordered by a judge to participate in the community service program. They would report to the coordinator and complete the set amount of hours ordered by the magistrate district judge. They would complete the hours by helping pick up litter, plant flowers, clean up parks, take handbills off utility poles, etc.

Lehigh County Juvenile Probation Department would work with the civilian community police coordinator to assist with manpower and projects.

The benefits of community service are the same whether voluntary or mandated—all community service participants have opportunities to:

• Develop critical thinking and problem solving skills,
• Gain a better understanding of how to make constructive changes,
• Form meaningful relationships with others,
• Develop a deeper understanding of community problems,
• Gain a sense of individual effectiveness, and
• Recognize the need for involvement.

The community would benefit from the program by:

• Having cleaner neighborhoods and parks.
• Increase in property values.
• Decrease in city expenses and utilization of city services.
• Positive interactions with the youth and the police department.

From the morning call (January 1st 2005): The Allentown Police Department's civilian community police coordinator, who mediates complaints between neighbors and runs the community service program for juvenile offenders, is the latest of Mayor Roy C. Afflerbach's layoffs to be brought to light.

Molinatti, who worked in the human relations bureau before it was closed in 1993, specialized in mediating chronic complaints among neighbors and between residents and police.

He also coordinated the juvenile community service program, which allowed minor juvenile offenders to work instead of paying a fine for their offense. Molinatti organized projects, for example, to pick up litter or take handbills off utility polls.

Molinatti coordinated the Crew program, in which the same youths were organized to shovel snow for elderly residents. At its height the program provided snow shoveling assistance to about 90 households. The program was the brainchild of former Councilwoman Pamela D. Varkony.

https://www.mcall.com/news/mc-xpm-2005-01-01-3595990-story.html