James is proud to be a NYPD 911 first responder. In 1998, Officer James Johnson discovered he had a gift and passion for reaching at-risk youth. Officer James Johnson was awarded the 2001 Explorer Post Advisor award for developing one of the largest police funded youth programs in New York City. In 2003, he was named Cop of the Year and received a New York City Council Citation for his efforts in decreasing youth on youth crime by 62%.As crime began to drop; James realized that a community can be changed through reaching the youth.

In 2005, James retired and moved his wife, Denise and two girls to Cary North Carolina. James founded a non-profit called, Life Strategies Solutions. James is now a first responder in the lives of children and is training others to do the same through his companyhttp://youthdevelop.com. Life Strategies Solutions is training and consulting company. We provide customized training, consulting and support to organizations to improve the impact of their programs. We specialize in: mentor training, gang prevention, volunteer and community engagement. We use the latest best-practices and evidence-based tools to ensure our client’s goals are accomplished. James have authored several books including:

How to Reach the Prodigal Child and Positive Youth Interaction.

James believes that everyone was created with a unique personality, prizes and purpose. When people are discouraged, detached and distracted they can lose their sense of purpose. Although they may not know what their purpose is; just being able to sense that they have one gives hope and increased sense of self-worth. Everyone has an important part to play in this world. Finding purpose means fulfilling your place in your home, community and society. We understand that the core of poverty is not the lack of material things, but the lack of authentic relationship with God, others, resources and ourselves. Without a sense of purpose we become impoverished. We look for pleasure, happiness and excitement but never find contentment