AFTER THE DIRECTOR OF THE BOY'S CLUB OF SAN GABRIEL VALLEY SUGGESTED THAT THE EL MONTE POLICE STOP BADGERING AND START HELPING YOUTH, THE CLUB AND THE POLICE SOUGHT TO DEVELOP A SERIES OF PROJECTS TO OPERATIONALIZE THIS SUGGESTION. WHAT EMERGED WAS THE 'HIRE A GANG LEADER' CONCEPT, INTENDED TO IMPROVE POLICE-GANG RELATIONS. POLICE-COMMUNITY INTERCHANGES AND DISCUSSIONS FOCUSED ON THE DEVELOPMENT OF ALTERNATIVES TO JUVENILE HALL DETENTION FOR YOUTHS WHO CAME IN CONTACT WITH THE POLICE. THE EMPHASIS PLACED ON OLDER TEENAGERS REPRESENTED A DEPATURE FROM TRADITIONAL YOUNGER GROUPS TO WHICH MOST BOYS' CLUBS DEVOTE THEIR RESOURCES. WITH OLDER BOYS, A VARIETY OF ALTERNATIVES WERE POSSIBLE, INCLUDING MILITARY SERVICE, THE JOB CORPS, AND OBTAINING EMPLOYMENT LOCALLY. EXPENDITURES FOR THE LOCAL EMPLOYMENT ALTERNATIVE WERE ENCOURAGED. AT THE FIRST CLASS HELD FOR BOYS FROM THE GANG, TRAINING WAS PROVIDED AND POLICE MONITORED INDIVIDUALS AND THEIR JOBS AFTER PLACEMENT. ONE OF THE BENEFICIAL EFFECTS OF THE LOCAL EMPLOYMENT ALTERNATIVE, IN ADDITION TO PROVIDING JOBS, WAS THAT BOYS VIEWED POLICE OFFICERS AS FRIENDS. GANG LEADERS SERVED AS CATALYSTS IN CHANGING ATTITUDES TOWARD THE POLICE. SINCE THE EMPLOYMENT PROGRAM BEGAN IN 1975, MORE THAN 200 GANG MEMBERS HAVE OBTAINED JOBS. WITH THESE JUVENILES PRODUCTIVELY OCCUPIED FOR 9 HOURS A DAY, CRIME HAS DROPPED AND THE CITY'S TAX BASE EXPANDED DUE TO THE JUVENILE'S INCREASED INCOME. FOOTNOTES ARE INCLUDED. (DEP)