A Teen Reach Civil Rights Story:
The Government and Faith Based Initiatives ... a means to an end of Faith?
by: RJ Rocky Scarfone

The Rev. Bobby Torres began his life on the rough streets of a Street Gang Neighborhood. It was not long before he was confronted by the dark entities of the life as he knew it. As a teenager, he would join the pack that rambled about in opposition to society and the law. Yet, before the Gangs who ruled his streets could rule his entire being, he was called into the Church.

After years of training and praying and working in Ministries in California, Bobby Torres became the Rev. Bobby Torres who would build a blessed and successful California Ministry that worked with children and young adults; children and young adults who were headed towards the dark side like he was long ago.

In 1993, he moved his Ministries, which include a Church, Family Life Center and Ministries For Youth and Children to Scottsdale Arizona.

Over the next 13 years, Teen Reach worked hard, sacrificing much to acquire beautiful homes that they believed would be the right environment for the young people and children they ministered to and with. 

To the Rev. Bobby Torres, the old streets of his memories still loomed large in their dark, forbidding ways. A denial of what was America. A place in society that seemed to be created to give birth to pain and hardship and denial to each of it's occupants right to a life in the pursuit of happiness.

Scottsdale was a Light Of Eventuality to those whose very existence meant a life of drugs, crime, and poverty. What a beautiful city it was! 

Excited, Mr. and Mrs. Torres viewed the neat, well kept and groomed neighborhoods and knew that it was here that their lives, the lives of their children, and their blossoming Ministry, Teen Reach, could provide a view of what life could be like to those less fortunate. 

The Torres family and their Ministries ( http://www.teenreach.com ) never desired to be at odds with the Community Of Arizona; a community that Teen Reach strove to build a relationship with. 

Teen Reach had successfully operated programs in Scottsdale for over 9 years with only few bumps in the road until neighbors, who chose not to have the time to understand Teen Reach, or care about them, began to complain about the Church and the homes that always had the normal activity of young people coming and going. 

Through harassment and innuendo, the State, against the will and choice of Teen Reach, ordered Teen Reach to apply for a License to practice their Church and Faith Based Youth Program as a Child Welfare Program.

After the Licensing, the State began to monitor every thing that the Church and Ministries did. And, when a neighbor, who had a history of filming and harassing the Ministries and individuals of Teen Reach, continued his vocal opposition, Teen reach began to have problems. 

In the month Of April, the State, through several agencies, including  Child Protection Services [CPS], alleged Child Abuse for a Supervised, Parental Spanking, the Department Of Economic Security [DEC] revoked the Teen Reach Child Welfare License. 

After the revocation, the DEC, CPS, the Phoenix Police Department and other “unknown co-conspirators", raided a Teen Reach Church without Warrant, Right To Enter, or Court Order, and abducted 7 Adult Church members who were conducting a bible study. 

The State and its Departments, Officers and Employees had no right to forcibly remove, detain and interrogate 7 adults church members practicing a bible study. In fact, these Adults asked to make phone calls and asked for council, neither was allowed during the four-hour detention.

This illegal and unwarranted forced removal, detention and interrogation of 7 adults was answered in the Arizona Republic, on Apr. 3, 2004, by David Matthews, director of the Department of Economic Security licensing office, as:

"Had (Teen Reach) cooperated, the adults would have never been removed, period."

When does the State, or anyone for that matter, have a right to detain adults without a warrant or charge and deny them a right to phone call or council? 

It would seem that David Matthews believes he is above the law, and has a right to detain anyone he deems as non-cooperative.

It is a wonder why the Employees and Officials of the Arizona Department Of Child Protection Services (CPS), the Phoenix Police Department, and the Arizona Department Of Economic Security were “shocked” to receive one of the over Forty Summonses notifying them of the massive Federal Civil Rights Complaint that was filed on Good Friday, 04/09/2004, naming them as defendants in this Federal Action that seeks over 10 Million Dollars in damages under Title 42, Sec. 1983. - Civil action for deprivation of rights.

Evidence submitted in that Federal Complaint demonstrates that the Civil Rights of Teen Reach and it’s members were not simply abused and denied, but accomplished with impunity and animosity against their FAITH, rather than against anything they may have been accused of doing. 

Comments in the Affidavits presented as Exhibits and in the Press by members of the CPS agency, show that there is an underlying hatred for the very beliefs and rights of Teen Reach rather than whether their programs work, are just, and whether or not they committed any act against anyone or any law or code.

In fact, after weeks of investigation, the DES and CPS sent a letter stating:

 “The allegations of neglect and physical abuse on the part of all named staff members and the facility Teen Reach, Inc, are being proposed for substantiation and is now closed.

I would like to extend my apologies for any inconvenience or anxiety this investigation process may have caused.

Signed: Christopher Deere CPSSIII”

What does this say? If there were a genuine issue, why have they not stated so? Why does this “two part” letter state they are proposing Substantiation and that the allegation is closed?

What is  “Substantiation”, and why is it necessary when they said it was CLOSED?

The original charge of Child Abuse was not only unfounded, but designed to force Teen Reach and it’s Ministries to comply with Arizona Statutes that simply do not apply to a Christian Faith Based Organization.

This entire affair was a series of acts designed to punish Teen reach, et al, for their determination to be American Citizens with the absolute Right to practice their Faith. 

The end of this chapter of the CPS-DES vs Teen Reach begins with the Teen Reach vs CPS-DES Chapter. 

Teen Reach would have rather used its belief in Christian Forgiveness then the Federal Courts. But how can they when the State continues to abuse the rights of Teen Reach and has failed to sit down and meet with Teen Reach and it's founder and Director, Rev. Bobby Torres?

If I were the CPS and DES, I would attempt to have, what this writer used to call, “A Sit Down”. It is in the hands of CPS and the DES to make the next move. After all, is this not all about Faith?  

Rck Scarfone

RJ Rocky Scarfone is the Director of Lighthouse Sanctuary Youth Foundation and Youth of America. He is an award winning author and publisher of EznewsTV.  

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