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Teen Ready To Become Youngest Member Of Sacramento Police Commission

SACRAMENTO (CBS13) — At 19 years old, Johnny Coleman is about to become the youngest member ever of the Sacramento Community Police Commission.

"Well I would say like, growing up, they always say be the change that you want to see in the world," Coleman said.

Coleman is young, but not inexperienced.

"I was a Sacramento County Sheriff Explorer, I was in the Sacramento Police Department's Magnet Academy, I attended the Sacramento County District Attorney's Youth Academy," Coleman said.

Sacramento City Councilman Allen Warren nominated him for the position.

"I see something in him that can really be a benefit to our community and our city," Warren said.

Coleman graduated from Grant High School in 2016. As a student, he saw a lack of trust between police and the community to help solve the murder of classmate J.J. Clavo.

Now Coleman says the trust problem comes down to what he calls the three "C's."

"Cops, community and criminals," Coleman said. "And if the cops and the community can band together, they can defeat the criminal element in our society."

Technically he's a just a teen. But he's taking on a tough job aiming to make Sacramento a safer place to live.

The Sacramento council will meet later this summer to confirm all the police commission nominees. The first meeting is set for August.

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