BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KBAK/KBFX) — Recent shootings involving young people in Kern County have put a renewed spotlight on teen violence, but a Bakersfield police officer who works closely with youth says prevention can start long before a child gets into trouble.

Officer Jose Lara, who is assigned to the Bakersfield Police Activities League, said many children are dealing with trauma at younger ages and that early intervention can keep problems from escalating.

“Kids just going through a lot more trauma at an early age… and the signs are there. So now it’s trying to catch those and treat those traumas or treat that hurt or whatever that kid may be going through to prevent it from extending further… to making it worse or making that kid or child feel like they’re not being heard, which then triggers other things later on in life,” Lara said.

In an interview, Lara called youth violence “a sensitive topic,” pointing to what he described as the “Interponds High School shooting.” He said one of his biggest concerns is how social media can influence young people and make it easier for messages to spread quickly.

“Prior, it was harder for them to get a message across because they had to travel or maybe go a certain distance. Now, just with a simple button, they can send a message thousands of miles away, and it gets the word or point across. And these kids now are easily getting influenced to doing the wrong things,” Lara said.

Lara said guidance and a strong foundation at home and in the community are important, and he encouraged parents to stay involved in their children’s lives, including at school. He said parents should talk with teachers and school staff about what their children are doing and who they are spending time with, and connect them with positive role models.

“Do these kids have mentors? Are their parents… parenting?” Lara said.

Lara said children can be influenced as early as elementary school and described middle school as a critical time to intervene before behaviors become more entrenched.

“Because you can start to see how those kids are going to start interacting with a lot more kids on campus,” he said.

He added that by high school, warning signs can become more apparent.

“And by high school, you know, that child is starting to show that they’ve already made the decision whether they’re a bad kid or a good kid,” Lara said.

Lara said the top three signs parents should watch for are who their children spend time with, changes in their behavior, and how they dress or carry themselves.

One local option for families is the Bakersfield Police Activities League, which Lara said offers a free after-school program at 301 East 4th St. The program serves children in Bakersfield, Kern County and surrounding areas and operates Monday through Thursday from 2 to 5:30 p.m.

Activities include tutoring, a game room, boys’ and girls’ leadership programs, arts and crafts, jiu-jitsu, boxing and recreational sports.

“We don’t just serve at-risk youth. These are just kids that typically want to do something fun, right? Well, all this allows kids to just be kids again and have fun, run, and deal with whatever’s going on in their outside world, then we’re also here to help,” Lara said.

Lara said BPAL’s office hours are Monday through Thursday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. for parents interested in signing their children up.