Beamon reaches out to help young people

Retired Police Lt. Walter Beamon met with Vicksburg residents on Thursday, Feb. 13, to discuss his “I Can” program that helps young people make better decisions and teaches them life skills.

Beamon started “I Can” in 2006 after retiring from the Vicksburg Police Department and a 30-year career in law enforcement. In the program, he mentors young individuals trying to keep them off the streets and out of trouble.

“We do straight talk with the kids, and we try to reach them before they do something that is nearly impossible to get out of,” Beamon said.

Helping people has always been a part of Beamon’ s life. Even after retirement, he taught life skills to high school students for ten years. He travels anywhere to talk to kids, and all he asks is for them to give him a call.

Beamon has taken kids to help inspect houses for the elderly as a way of giving back to the community.

”The best thing you can do is to give back,” he said.

Beamon invited parents and teachers to have a talk at the Jackson Street Gym where he urged them to make a difference before it’s too late. Beamon remembers having Rosa A. Temple High School head coach Houston Markham in his life when he was growing up, and he wants to see others, including law enforcement and teachers, become mentors to help children as well.

To contact Lt. Beamon, email him at ican.walter@yahoo.com.