National Association of Police Athletic/Activities Leagues, Inc.

Program Overview and Background

As the success of the PAL concept spread, PAL programs developed in other communities across the Country. A little over 70 years ago, six Chapters on the eastern seaboard joined together to form an association to share ideas and resources and compete in several sports. Today, there are over 300 PAL Member Chapters either within law enforcement agencies or operating as a 501 c 3 Not for Profit organization, servicing various cities throughout the United States, including the U.S. Virgin Islands, serving youth ages 5 to 18. It is based on the conviction that young people – if reached early enough – can cultivate strong positive attitudes towards/with law enforcement in their journey through life, with the goal being maturity, inclusiveness, and good citizenship.

The PAL program experience brings youth, under the guidance and positive influence of law enforcement agencies and/or communitybased not-for-profit organizations, to expound upon public awareness regarding the role of law enforcement and the reinforcement of the responsible values and attitudes instilled in young people by their parents. PAL programs provide a leadership opportunity for youth to establish positive relations with law enforcement while also allowing them to have a voice heard. Studies have shown that if a young person engages and interacts with law enforcement on the ball field, gym, or classroom, the youth will likely come to respect the laws that police officers enforce. Such respect benefits the youth, the police officer, the neighborhood, and the business community.

Program Services

• Group activities (in addition to primary mentoring)
• Referral to other services
• Counseling
• Academic support
• Leadership development
• Substance misuse intervention or treatment
• Etc

Target Population

We aim to provide mentoring under this grant to young people with any one or more of the following:

• Single Parent Household
• Academic Challenges
• Juvenile Justice Involvement
• Victimization
• Substance Impact or Misuse
• Rural Location
• Facing Discrimination based on Race, Ethnicity or Gender Identity
• Youth with Disabilities

Mentor Recruitment and Training

• 5,000 matches and youth served under this grant
• 715 mentors recruited under this grant
• Peer Mentoring included in programming
• For mentor recruitment, we target Peers (Youth), College Students, Adult Volunteers, Athletic Coaches, and Active and Retired Law Enforcement Officers
• Duration of program services: 8-12 months
• Expected intensity of match contact: Minimum of 1 hour a week
• Expected length of a match: 8-12 months
• Expected frequency of match contact: 1 hour a month
• Number of training hours required before a mentor is matched with a youth: 15-20 Minute National Training Form, specific training based on location