PAL was started in 1915 in New York City and is based in the earliest community policing concepts. This richly integrated past began with the simple premise of offering youth attractive alternatives to criminal behavior. These original police officers that built the PAL programs founded the organization with a two-fold purpose:

· One was the understanding of the importance of children playing and

· The second was to reduce tensions between police officers and youth through mentoring and sports activities.

An advisory committee studying delinquency in the early 30's recommended the formation of a national bureau, the Juvenile Aid Bureau, to assist with these original grass roots efforts linking them directly to police departments.

In the 1940's and 1950's, following national social science trends, PAL began hiring trained social workers. These efforts added the therapeutic component to the treatment of troubled youngsters.

Around this same time, growth in the program garnered awards and brought inquires from police departments and government officials from all over the U.S. and overseas about how to replicated PAL's successful programs.

PAL Today

Today, PAL is a network of 1,700 facilities and serves more than 1.5 million youth ages 5 to 18 years of age. Over 350 law enforcement agencies serving 3,000 communities throughout the U.S. including the U.S. Virgin Island, Puerto Rico and Canada are currently operational.

PAL Offers Over 100 Sports and Activities

Basketball, soccer, baseball, football, tennis, golf, volleyball, cheerleading, horseback riding and more. Plus additional activities like computers, arts & crafts, mentoring and dance.

Why PAL?

· To fight crime and drug abuse…

· To improve the health of our children…

· To provide children with self esteem and confidence…

· To provide social skills…

· To encourage a lifelong motivation and appreciation for participation in sports and physical activity…

· To help build a strong family unit and community through sports, activities and education.

PAL Local Chapter

        Our PAL Local Chapter is the Lexington – Fayette Urban County Government, Division of Police.  We have been a member of National PAL since 1985. The LFUCG became one of several major law enforcement agencies nationally to implement a Police Activity League (PAL). We provide positive role models and educational, athletics and other activities that socio-economically disadvantage boys and girls so desperately need. The program started with a group of off-duty Police Officers donating their time to the future of kids.  These same officers continue to be at the heart of the program today.  Other professionals have joined in, donating their time, talent, and monies to a program that has an increasingly positive influence on the community.

                PAL strives to reduce drug use and criminal activity among youngsters, while offering fun and challenging activities from which the kids can learn and grow.  This approach teaches children respect for authority figures as well as self-respect through positive reinforcement and encouragement by the officers.  Children see an alternative lifestyle too much that surrounds them and have a chance to develop the skills needed to set and achieve elevated goals. PAL’s goals are reducing juvenile crime and drug use through less idle time and exposure to criminal opportunity.

          Once a child has shown an interest in participating in PAL, a signed parental consent form is all that is needed for he or she to begin.  A wide variety of athletic, educational, and other activities are offered during the year. The activities are for girls & boys aged 7-18.  We also provide after school activities each day.

PAL is a special program, targeted to a very specific group of children in the public housing areas.  The program will soon include centers throughout other communities.  Officers participating in PAL have found that youngsters are very receptive to the opportunities and encouragement the program offers.  Mothers, teachers and officers all speak of the positive impact PAL has on the children and how they can see these influences reflected in everyday life.

CRIME PREVENTION THROUGH RECREATION, ATHLETICS, AND EDUCATION

"Cops and Kids Working Together To Make A Difference"

  PAL

        Remember-Every Kid Needs a "PAL"

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