DOWNTOWN BROOKLYN — He once walked the beat, and now, he rocks the beat. 

Retired NYPD Detective Todd Taylor dedicates much of his time these days keeping young people off the street and out of trouble with a DJ program geared toward at-risk youth called Cops and Kids.  

Born in East Flatbush, Taylor spent 20 years on the force and has always been a DJ hobbyist. But in the mid-1990s, he turned that pastime into a way to help and mentor young people.

On the afternoon of July 30, at the Kings County Supreme Court building, Taylor gave an inspirational speech and live DJ demonstration alongside more than 50 court interns, mostly hailing from Brooklyn. 

“A lot of times when people see police officers, they would never think in a million years that we would do something like this,” Taylor said. “But pretty much everybody is into music. The goal is for kids to have a good time and learn something in the process.” 

Taylor continued, “There is also money to be made DJing. With more than eight million people in New York alone, something is always going on in the city every single day.” 

Bridging the gap

The Cops and Kids program, which teaches DJ skills like mixing and scratching, is open to New York City youth aged 12 to 19, and held on Saturdays from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at the NYPD Community Center located at 127 Pennsylvania Avenue.

Classes are also held at various city locations, including schools, YMCAs and Boys and Girls Clubs. The only requirement to be a part of the program is to have a passion for music. 

Taylor, who began DJing at the age of 13, is the program’s producer and creator. He said he thought of the idea after learning how local youth were being exposed to violence in their neighborhood while he was serving as a patrol officer.

“I worked in the 77th Precinct for 11 years before being transferred to the Community Affairs Division, where I was promoted to detective specialist,” Taylor said. “My primary assignment there was to bridge the gap between community and police, particularly with youth.  

“When first I started out with this idea, I only had one turntable. I didn’t have a staff. But ultimately, it started to grow and became somewhat successful,” said Taylor. “Many of the kids I’ve worked with became professional DJs, and some even became police officers.” 

Sergeant Ruben Cespedes has been working with Taylor since he was 12-years-old. Now 35, Cespedes pointed out that the Cops and Kids program not only showed him the importance of DJing, but also helped him with discipline, time management and creating a network. 

“It taught me to get away from the violence in the streets and focus on something productive,” Cespedes said. “I firmly believe the program challenges you, and helps you to become a better person.”

For additional information on the Cops and Kids program, email [email protected].