Next time a Cicero youth is caught vandalizing property, carrying illegal drugs or tagging a home with graffiti, police may tell the child to drop and give them 20.

The town approved an ordinance at its Tuesday board meeting that creates a police-administered “boot camp” where non-violent juvenile offenders could be sent for rehabilitation.

“Hopefully boot camp will put a little fear into them as to what is expected of them in society,” said Rolando Hernandez, deputy superintendent of internal affairs with the Cicero Police Department. “It’s a great idea and ... will be a good program for the town.”

Hernandez said the program would involve juveniles attending about 50 hours of the “boot camp,” for four hours each Saturday. Each time, the program would consist of two hours of “drilling,” or military-style training and physical activity, and two hours of anger management and other educational therapy. Local group Corazon Community Services will provide the educational programs within the camp, including anger management, mentoring and counseling.

“The kid tagging a home or business today will be committing violent, gang-related crimes tomorrow if we don't intervene,” Town President Larry Dominick said. “This program is intended to provide an ounce of prevention by providing a punishment that includes a disciplinary component as well as an educational one to get kids heading down the wrong path back on the right one.”

Five full-time Cicero police officers and five Cicero auxiliary officers will be trained to run the program. The four hours they lead the program would take the place of one of their normal patrol shifts, Hernandez said, with other auxiliary officers taking over that duty for them.

“The town and community need it, and parents want it,” Hernandez said. “It will serve the community, schools, families and courts.”

Police and court hearing officers can suggest the boot camp, on a case by case basis, to youth found in violation of administrative ordinances. Schools and parents can also recommend a child’s participation in the program, Hernandez said.

The program may also expand to include community service, including town clean-up and volunteer work with other Cicero organizations, Hernandez said.

“I think this will be a good avenue to bring in kids and direct them to (service) in the town, like working with senior services,” Town Trustee Fran Reitz said.